The Classic Peanut Butter Cookie

Inspired by my widening ass, I decided to bake some peanut butter cookies this morning. It should be said that, for the most part, I'm not a *huge* peanut butter fan. I like it on toast and, recently discovered, on that amazing honey cake I baked the other day. Otherwise, the smell of peanut butter makes me gag. You should see me washing dishes when there is peanut butter on utensils. Yuck.

Anyway, the first batch was a bit crispy and so I'm starting to think that my old ass oven is way faster than everyone else's fancy-schmancy ovens. Not burned, but definitely too crunchy for good peanut butter cookies. The last three batches, however, came out perfectly chewy.

I got the original recipe from Martha (Yeah, that Martha) via Bakeaholic. Minus the chocolate piping, because that is just insane and I had only had 1 cup of coffee at that point.



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 pound (1 stick = 8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or a bit more, since I accidentally spilled some over the edges of the spoon)
1 cup smooth peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease well with butter


2. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add peanut butter, and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat on low until combined. (Note well: I DO THIS BY HAND! My right bicep can break your neck after today's mixing)




3. Form each cookie into a ball using about a tablespoon of dough. Place cookies on the baking sheets 1 inch apart. Place cookie sheet in freezer for about 10 minutes to chill (No, I have no idea why, but that's what the experts say). If they stay in the freezer too long they will be hard to flatten, so place them in the oven for a few minutes, and then take them out to press them.

4. Remove from the freezer and flatten the dough slightly with your palm (or if you're fussy and scared to dirty use the bottom of a cup or spoon). Then dip a fork into flour, tap off excess. Press fork slightly into the cookies to make a decorative top - I really let my creativity soar with those fork prongs, let me tell you.



5. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Mine took a little less than 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack until completely cooled.