On Monday my kids will be back at school.
I’m not really ready for that.
Our kitchen renovation put a big hiccup in our usual summer plans. Even though we managed to take two trips to visit family and the kids attended their beloved soccer camp our usual summer fun took a back seat to the comings and goings of contractors and the general mess associated with remodeling.
As a result, we have been on a mission this past week to squeeze out all the last bits of summer fun that we can. We spent the day at our favorite water park, we hosted a sleepover party, we shopped for school clothes (my daughter’s idea of fun), we went fishing at a local pond, we made some crafts and we baked cookies.
My daughter has been asking for home made peanut butter cookies for weeks. A simple request, but when your kitchen is in turmoil, it’s a hard wish to grant.
I had forgotten how much I love these cookies.
They’re simple and easy and — my favorite part — they’re soft and chewy.
It’s a peanut butter cookie recipe from my dad’s home town church cookbook — from the 1970’s. I adjusted it just a tiny bit. Instead of shortening I use real butter and — an accidental discovery — I add an extra egg yolk.
Here it is:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg and 1 yolk (omit the extra yolk for a crisper cookie)
- 1 1/4 cup sifted flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Mix butter, peanut butter, sugars and egg thoroughly. Blend all dry ingredients; stir into butter mixture. Chill dough for 1/2 hour in refrigerator.
- Heat oven for 375 degrees.
- Roll dough in to 1 1/4 inch balls.
- Place 3 inches apart on baking sheet and flatten criss cross with fork dipped in flour.
- Bake 8-10 minutes. (Don't let them get too brown.)
The recipe says to roll the dough in to small balls but I like to use a small scoop that forms the dough in to a nice ball quickly. (Of course, kids often like to roll by hand but my daughter is just as happy to use the little scoop!)
We only have a few days left before the hustle and bustle of the school year knocks on our door. Until then, you’ll find us packing in all the summer fun that we can!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
The cookies look great…and I can see why your daughter was asking for them…Where has the summer gone?
Have a great weekend Julie!
Your recipe says this makes 2 cookies but surely this is a mistake?
Oops! Thank you for catching that! It is supposed to read 2-3 dozen cookies. I just fixed it — sorry about that! 🙂
Hi Linda,
I just noticed that my reply to your question never published, so I’m trying again!
Yes, that was a mistake. Thanks for catching that! The recipe makes 2-3 dozen depending upon the size of the scoop or balls you make. My small scoop enables me to make almost exactly 3 dozen. Hope that helps!
Julie
Just had to print out your peanut butter cookie recipe. I noticed you run a fork across the cookies, don’t see that as much these days. My Mom always did that so I do too. Makes me think bout all the peanut butter cookies I’ve made since I was young woman starting out. When my boys would get home from school it would be a miracle if cookies even got off the cooling rack. Now days with people so concerned about kids having too much sugar I wonder if my boys had too much. My
. My youngest son’s wife once gave me riot act for giving him so many cookies when he was kid. We weren’t allowed to have our grand daughter by ourselves at our house as dil was so afraid I’d give her a cookie, home made not store. All she had to do would be tell me not to give her any cookies or sweets.
I still make home made cookies for hubs and I. Store made are just yuk, (except for golden oreos or Vienna fingers). I can sacrifice my standards for those, hubs too. Glad you shared a great cookie recipe. Happy weekend
I agree…store bought cookies are “bleh” — with the exception of my beloved Walker’s shortbread cookies. 🙂
Hope you like the peanut butter cookie recipe. Ours didn’t last long over here!
Julie