Peanut Butter Cookies (From Mom's Recipe Card File)

Peanut butter cookies are very popular in our house, the kind that are basically chocolate chip cookie dough with peanut butter flavored chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  There is no peanut butter in the dough!  What???  How can those be considered peanut butter cookies?   (I actually have a recipe for those, but this isn't it!)

Here's the recipe for REAL peanut butter cookies - the ones my mom used to make - 1960s-style.


Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies (about 2 1/2 dozen)

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4  t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Cream together butter and peanut butter.  Add sugars gradually and cream.  Add egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Add gradually to the creamed mixture.  Cover the bowl and chill dough 15-30 minutes.  It will be fairly soft.

Roll into about 1-tablespoon dough balls with your hands (I use a cookie scoop to measure).  Roll in additional granulated sugar (you'll need about 1/3 cup) and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with a fork in a criss-cross pattern (to about 1/2 inch thick).

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.  Let sit on the baking sheet about 5 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.  Cookies will be tender-crisp, not soft.

This recipe can be doubled.