Peanut Butter Cookies - Week Two

I'm finding that picking a different cookie recipe to produce for 12 weeks is difficult.  For starters, there are thousands, thousands of cookie recipes out there.  There are hundreds, hundreds of variations of those thousands of cookie recipes.  How do you choose?  Some are easy.  Some are complex.  Some involve interesting ingredients.  Some involve pantry staples.  In order to keep things interesting, I am going to choose a mixture of easy, complex, interesting and old-time favorites for my project.  This week's is an old-time favorite.

Earlier this week, I asked for Ron's input.  Like a little kid, he yelled "PEANUT BUTTER."  Then, for some reason, he added with a scowl, "And make sure you do the little fork indentations."  Ok.  Like there is any other way?  (But apparently in some past cookie baking adventure I forgot to do this and it offended him.)

My sister and I would help my mom bake cookies when we were younger.  I have a vivid memory (perhaps with the help of a few photographs) of sitting on the counter with a fork, a determined look on my face and making the little fork indentations. And although I didn't sit on the counter this time, I can assure you that I had that same determined look on my face as I was doing the little fork indentations.  :)  This is a pretty simple and basic recipe that took about 20 minutes from start to finish (with the prep work complete; softening the butter and letting the egg come to room temp).  Next time you have an inkling for cookies, whip these up!

Peanut Butter Cookies
Southern Cookbook
Yield:  About 3 dozen
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg (room temp)
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat butter and peanut butter in a large bowl until creamy.
3. Add sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder.  Beat until well combined.
4. Beat in the egg and the vanilla until combined.
5. Beat or stir in the flour until combined.
6. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll into granulated sugar.  
7. Place cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and make your little fork indentations!
8. Bake for 7-9 minutes, watching carefully.