Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is recipe Number 1!! Classic Peanut Butter Cookies from Better Homes and Gardens 100 best cookies magazine/cookbook--I made them almost exactly like the recipe-any of you that know me, know I usually change and tweek any recipe I get so here goes:

1/2 cup butter softened (I used margarine)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Granulated sugar for rolling dough (I didn't like this part so I used heavier sugar for it-I used White Sparkling sugar by Wilton) Couldn't taste regular sugar but could Wilton

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, okay-I used jelly roll pans and the directions on my pans is to bake all recipes 25 degrees less than recipe calls for so I baked mine at 350 degrees. In large bowl combine margarine or butter and peanut butter. Beat at medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until well combined, be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Beat in flour. Refrigerate dough one hour.

Sidenote--I usually never chill my dough but the cookbook said that when softened butter is used in a recipe the dough gets too sticky to work with and also chilling causes the butter to harden a bit and makes it easier to work with. Also when dough chills the glutens in the dough relax and form a tender cookie--well all this said, the cookbook was right and I learned something today -- to chill my dough when the recipe calls for it)

2. Place additional sugar in a small bowl. (Again--I used Wilton's white sprinkle sugar, I did both and found the Wilton flavor and texture to be way better than regular sugar. Honestly the sugar isn't necessary at all but with the Wilton it just made them look nicer-they sparkle). Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar to coat. Place dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet-or one lined with parchment paper which I did. Using the tines of a fork (that has been dipped in water in between flattening) flatten balls by making criss cross marks on top.

3. Bake in preheated oven -original recipe says 7 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees, I baked mine 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until the tops are lightly browned. The recipe said nothing about convection baking but I did all three of my cookie sheets on convection baking. Let cool on sheets for 10 minutes and transfer to cooling wire rack. Makes about 36 cookies (mine made 32).

THESE ARE REALLY GOOD--very tender cookies-I would make them again!

Working on cookbook right now, taking photos of food--not as easy as it sounds. Ebook for Flowers on a Child's Grave...Now What? is available at flowersonagrave.com Hard copy to come out in about 4-6 weeks.

NEXT RECIPE to be Vanilla-Peanut Cookies