Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe # 73960

YIELD: 24 cookies

COMMENT: soft and crumbly melt-in-your mouth. A little on the sour side. It kind of missing some ingredient: may add some chopped peanuts, or use crunchy peanut butter. Or maybe try adding chocolate chips

This was the 2nd time i made the same recipe. I also use the following changes, but use Lily's Peanut Butter instead.

CHANGES:
1/3 c margarine = for 1/2 c butter
3/4 c pkd brown & gran sugar (combo) = 1/2 c each of brown and gran sugar
3/4 c Planter's creamy Peanut butter(measured with scale: 193.5g) = 1 c

EQUIPMENT: Upper rack. Big nonstick baking sheet, ungreased. 4x6 cookies. I don't have to worry about spreading, because these cookies don't spread.
300º - 5 min
350º - the rest of baking time (total bake time: 13-14min)

PROCEDURE:
1. Measured the peanut butter on the scale, using a spatula to scoop out the peanut butter ( didn't greased the spatula and bowl, I was making sure the PB stand upright and not blob the whole bowl)
2. Freeze the batter uncovered.
3. Scoop out using S ice cream scoop.
4. Use fork dipped in sugar to flatten. But the batter still stuck to the fork. Better to use all purpose flour.
5. Remold the sides of the cookies, to make a more pretty appearance instead of cracked edges.
6. Rotated the sheet after 7min of bake time. Removed from oven once i saw the bottom light browned, it was set when i touched the top of cookies









RECIPE:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not crunchy; I think crunchy ruins the texture)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 375 F; have ungreased shiny cookie sheets ready.
2. In a large mixing bowl, with electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars; next, beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla.
3. In a smaller bowl, sift together salt, baking soda and flour (I do this through a sieve, not with a sifter).
4. With a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture until a dough is formed.
5. If desired, you could stir in about 1/2 cup (or more) of chocolate chips now; I usually don't (even though I'm a chocoholic) as I often just want a pure peanut butter cookie with nothing else in it, not even peanut bits.
6. Stash dough in fridge while you clean up the dishes; this step isn't absolutely necessary but the fridge slightly firms up the dough, making it easier to work with.
7. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto cookie sheets and press down, criss-cross style, with a fork-- the classic peanut butter cookie look.
8. If fork sticks to cookies too much as you press down, lightly flour the fork.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until edges are slightly darkened (I like to cook these at 7-1/2 mins).
10. Do not worry if they don't look done; cookies firm up as they cool and if you want chewier cookies it is very important not to overbake them.
11. Add an extra minute if you like crispier cookies.
12. Remove cookies from sheets after letting them rest on sheets for one minute, then let cooked cookies cool on racks.
13. Store cookies in a tin or in cookie jar (airtight containers are best). I use a one-inch scoop to make the cookies; the approximate yield I get is 4-1/2 dozen cookies.