Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter.  Smooth, crunchy, spread on an apple or banana, in chocolate ice cream...I could go on.  It is delicious.

Unfortunately, I can't eat it right now. I'm trying to get uber healthy, so I have a very limited list of allowed food and real PB is just not on it. 

But, I have a jar of natural PB in my fridge taunting me.  The kids won't eat it (not enough sugar? too oily?) The husband won't eat it (not a huge fan of PB not in candy bar form?) Whatever the reason, nobody was using it. So I had to do something with it...behold the Classic Peanut Butter Cookie!

 Add the peanut butter, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and egg to a mixing bowl.  Side note: sometimes I'll replace the brown sugar with honey...it makes the cookies so soft and delicious.  I highly recommend the substitution. Another side note: I never measure out my peanut butter, I just eyeball it.

Mix on a low to medium speed until smooth and fully incorporated.

In a medium bowl stir together to the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and mix until smooth and there are no streak of flour left.  Repeat with the other 2/3 of the dry ingredients.

 The finished dough should be chilled for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator before shaped and baked.

Some people like to roll their dough out by hand into balls.  I find it much easier to use a cookie scoop. That gives the cookies more of a uniform size and shape.  Then I roll the cookie ball in granulated sugar till coated.

You can flatten the ball with anything, the bottom of a glass (coated in sugar), for example.  I love the classic look of the cross hatching using the tines of a fork.  They grow pretty big, so I leave lots of space between the cookies and only bake 8 at a time on my cookie sheet. Be sure to cover your cookie sheet with parchment!  Makes life so much easier!

Made a good pile of 2 dozen cookies.  The family enjoyed these cookies with the banana ice cream I had made previously.  Peanut butter and bananas...such a great combination!

Let's eat!


Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling the cookie balls in)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or honey)
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Mix sugars, peanut butter, butter and egg in a large bowl.  Add the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, thoroughly mixing in between additions.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, more is better.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
4.  Shape dough into balls either with hand or using a cookie scoop.  Balls should be about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. 
5. Roll the balls in about 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.  Flatten on cookie sheet using the tines of a fork dipped in sugar.
6. Bake 9-10 minutes or until light gold brown.