Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 196.

These cookies are a breeze to make and they taste just like the ones you remember your mother or grandmother making. The dough is very stiff and it is very easy to form the balls. The best trick I learned for making cookies is to use a trigger-release scoop. I don't, however, have a teaspoon sized one. The one I own makes huge cookies. The dough for these is not sticky though and I just used a regular melon baller and it worked fine. This recipe makes about 48 cookies.

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 oz. (3/4 cup) salted peanuts, chopped fine (not ground)

Preheat oven to 375. Use the upper rack for baking and bake one sheet at a time.

Sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

Beat the butter to soften it.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add both the white and...

brown sugar and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the egg.

Adjust the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture.

Add the peanut butter.

Add the remaining flour mixture.

Add the peanuts and beat until mixed.

Remove from the mixture and form into a ball. Knead only until everything is blended. The mixture will be stiff.

Use a rounded teaspoon to form the dough into balls 1" in diameter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Press the tops slightly with a fork to form an impression. Turn the fork and press again to form a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 9-12 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned. Watch carefully - they burn easily.

Cool on racks. The cookies will harden and crisp as they cool.