Get Baked: Peanut Butter Cookies Two Ways

Welcome to my orgy of peanut butter cookies!

via musketnuss.wordpress.com

Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

My peanut butter cookie repertoire used to consist of delicious, crispy cookies made from a recipe handed down from my grandmother. But they had nine ingredients in them, and who has that kind of time? These cookies have only three ingredients in them, and while they come with a little less childhood nostalgia, they are unbelievably easy/delicious.

I have made this recipe with crunchy, creamy, and organic almond peanut butter, but the smooth processed stuff still works best. You can add chocolate or caramel chips, coconut shavings, vanilla extract, breakfast cereal, or chopped nuts, but none of the extras are necessary.

Pay close attention to how long they bake: for chewier, moister cookies, take them out a little early, and for crunchy cookies, leave them in a little longer. And even though letting each batch cool in the pan for a few minutes slows down the process, it improves the taste and texture.

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1⁄2 cup sugar
1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Mix ingredients until blended. Using your hands is the most fun, but a spoon will also do.

3. Roll into 24 balls and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Flatten with a fork.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. They taste delicious if undercooked, but are still edible when overcooked. Cool for two minutes before removing from pan.

Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies

These are peanut butter cookies as they were meant to be made. This is a fantastic, though slightly more time- and ingredient-consuming, improvement. Even though leaving each batch in the pan for a few minutes slows down the process, they really do taste better because of it.

Sometimes I have more time on my hands than other times.

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. milk
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 package swirled peanut butter and chocolate chips (I had to use chopped baker’s chocolate and that also worked)
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp sugar (extra/optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar.

2. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk, and beat well. (If you are not using milk, omit the baking powder later and add an extra 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Without milk, baking powder gets bitter and gross.)

3. In another bowl, combine four, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. To sugar-coat, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the tbsp of extra sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Leaving some space between them, lightly flatten with a fork or spatula.

5. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for two minutes before removing from pan.

Adapted from my Grandmother and Smitten Kitchen.