Monday, March 14, 2011

Classic Peanut Butter


I'll admit, I'm a little surprised I haven't done this recipe yet.  It's a standard in our house, but I guess I must have been branching out during the holidays and let this one slip past unbaked.  These are wonderful--crunchy at first bite and slightly chewy on the inside with the perfect peanut butter flavor. I made this batter as a base for my bake-off entry, Peanut Butter Bombs.  I'll share that recipe later this week, but wanted to introduce you to the classic first.  So in the picture of ingredients below, please ignore the powdered sugar, peanuts and cinnamon. (Those are for the Bombs.  Yes, you'll see this same picture later this week.)

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart Living, but I forget which issue.  I haven't changed anything about it (really, could I attempt to improve upon Martha?).  Often I find recipes in that magazine unnecessarily complicated, but this is pretty straight forward. 

Classic Peanut Butter


Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Mix in eggs, then peanut butter.

Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in batches, mixing until just combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.


On a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, drop by spoonfuls (I use a medium cookie scoop) about 2 inches apart.


Press cookies with fork tines to flatten and create a cross-hatch pattern.


Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 14-16 minutes until lightly browned.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.




Cool on pans for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to complete cooling.

Makes 5 dozen.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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