The classic peanut butter cookie became popular around eighty years ago, after Pillsbury released their recipe for “peanut butter balls” in 1933. Since then, they have become an American staple, and today they are consumed internationally as an easy-to-make delicacy. Little cooking savvy is required to make them and they can usually be made from items already found in the cupboard. The following steps will instruct tell you how to bake delicious peanut butter cookies with just a few ingredients:
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· Ingredients: Before getting to it, take a stick of butter and leave it at room temperature until it’s nice and soft. Next, you’ll need at least a half-cup to three-quarters of a cup of peanut butter. Whichever kind you use to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will do, but you’ll find the smoothest variety is the easiest to manipulate into dough. You’ll also need a cup of sugar, an egg (or two, if making more), and a couple pinches of salt. You also want to have a splash of milk handy, just in case. The last ingredient is an additional sweetener. You’ve got choices here, but most bakers go with a tablespoon of vanilla extract or refined brown sugar. If you want crispy peanut butter cookies, go with the butter and brown sugar. If you like your cookies soft and chewy, replace these ingredients with vanilla extract and vegetable shortening, though it must be said that shortening provides less flavor than butter in most cases.
· Preparation: Before mixing the ingredients, preheat the oven to 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the peanut butter, egg(s), sugar, salt and additional sweetener until it has the consistency one would expect for cookie dough. If the dough proves too difficult to manage or you can’t get it to the ideal texture, try adding a tablespoon of milk to soften it. Next, form the dough into even-sized balls, which should each be about one inch around, and place them on a baking sheet. It is important to keep enough space between the cookies so they each get enough heat. Use a fork to flatten the balls in both directions until they form into cookie shapes that look like miniature waffles, or use a cookie shovel if you’re fancy. Be careful not to press too hard and break them apart.
· Cooking: Bake the cookies at the preheated temperature until they are golden brown, checking the cookies every five minutes or so to make sure they aren’t overcooking. After you’ve removed the pan, let the cookies sit for a few minutes to cool. Leftover cookies can be stored with a covering at room temperature for a day or two and remain fresh, but you’ll need to refrigerate and reheat them after that.
Additional: Adding extra goodies to the cookies is just a matter of inserting them into the second step. What you use is limited only by your imagination and tastes, but you can’t go wrong with peanuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or all of the above!
