Farmer Boy Recipe - Peanut Butter Cookies

March 1, 2012 is "National Peanut Butter Lovers Day".  To celebrate, I'm posting this cookie recipe.  It's fairly simple, so even a novice could make these without too much trouble!  I used to make these to sell at the Farmers Market & they were a BIG hit!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (any brand - smooth style)
• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter, softened
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: (I use my heavy-duty Kitchen Aid stand mixer & that makes it really easy!  But if you don't have one of those,  just mix with a hand mixer or by hand, using a large spoon. (It may take a lot longer!) Anyway, I've included the speeds and times I use on my mixer.)  Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix together the peanut butter and the butter.  (One minute, on speed #6)  Add the sugars, egg, and vanilla & mix.  (Stir speed for 30 seconds, then #4 speed for one minute)  Next, add the flour, soda, powder, and salt & mix.  (Stir speed for 30 seconds, then #2 speed for 30 seconds)

Take out about a teaspoon full of the dough at a time.  With floured hands, roll the dough into a ball - about an inch in diameter.   Place each ball onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly and flatten again, with a fork, making a cross.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and leave them on the sheet to cool a bit before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 3 dozen.

I think this would be a great project to do with children!  Of course, even if the cookies didn't turn out perfect, they'd still eat them all!  :)

"We have so many machines and so many helps, in one way or another, to save time; and yet I wonder what we do with the time we save.  Nobody seems to have any!" Laura Ingalls Wilder

If you make these cookies, please let us all know, by leaving a comment here.  And be sure to tell others about this blog site!  Thanks.  The Old Man in the Bib Overalls