Rich Peanut Butter Cookies

Who doesn't love a peanut butter cookie? Not me!  I've never warmed up to peanut butter desserts, but since I seem to be in a club of one, I often indulge family and friends. And so, just a few weeks ago on a gorgeous sunny day, I made a batch to share at an outing to the Jersey shore.

Peanut butter cookies have been a popular American treat for decades; I have about a dozen vintage recipes in my collection.  This one dates from the 1950s. These are very good peanut butter cookies (or so I was told), but I think the "Rich" adjective was added for marketing value only, as these are no richer than other peanut butter cookies I've made despite a large butter to flour ratio. It seems to make the cookies softer, if not richer.

Rich Peanut Butter cookies can be put together in just minutes, if you've softened the butter. It follows the formula of beating the "fat" and sweet ingredients, adding eggs and then the dry ingredients. This recipe does call for refrigerating the dough before forming into balls.

Cool the cookies a rack.

World's best SIL Josh enjoying a cookie.

World's best DS created an ice cream sandwich with the ice cream intended for the raspberry pie, the other dessert I brought to the gathering.

Production notes: I followed this exactly, but used all butter instead of the shortening. I used a natural peanut butter with no sugar added. The dough was too soft, even after refrigeration, for the fork indentations to work. After forming into balls (with gloved hands), I just pressed them down with my palm.

Salted Peanut Cookies

If you're a peanut butter cookie lover, then you'll want to try these Salted Peanut Cookies from a vintage recipe. The strong peanut butter flavor is derived entirely from the peanuts, which also add a lovely texture to the cookies. The sugar coating on top is the icing on the cake, so to speak.

Like most cookies, the batter is a cinch to whip up (providing you've left the butter to soften on the counter). The time suck comes from baking sheet after sheet of these. But you can always bake what you need (as I did for a dinner that night) and leave the dough in the refrigerator to bake at your leisure.

(Full disclosure: I am not a fan of peanut butter cookies at all, mostly because of their crumbly texture, but found these absolutely addicting!)

Mix the peanuts in at the end.

Using your hands, roll into one-inch balls. I always wear gloves for this task, but there's no need to.

Press the cookies down with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water and then sugar. I skipped this part, just sprinkling sugar on the cookies, and the results were not as good.

Bake until the bottoms are medium brown.

Voila!

Production notes: I used all butter and light brown sugar. Do not overbake, as they harden while they cool. These don't spread much on the sheet, so you can bake a lot at one time.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Kisses

I typically make baked goods I love to eat, but this past Father's Day was an exception. I hate am not a fan of peanut butter cookies, but I wanted to do something special for the DH so I tackled these peanut butter cookies. They received a big thumbs up from those who like this sort of thing.

To begin, unwrap a lot of Hershey's Kisses. I got both the traditional milk chocolate ones, and the newer dark chocolate kisses for a little variety.

Beat the butter, add the sugars and the eggs. Combine well.

The dough is very sticky, so I used my ice-cream scoop to portion out the batter.

The first baking is about eight to 10 minutes.

Remove the sheets from the oven and place a Hershey's kiss atop each cookie. Return to the oven for about two minutes.

Cool on racks and enjoy!

The vintage recipe card is rather unclear, so I've written the method I used below. I made the cookies larger than called for ("small balls") so if you like a better chocolate-to-cookie ratio, you can simply make them smaller. I would refrigerate the dough for about an hour if you have to handle it (i.e., don't use an ice cream scoop) as it is rather sticky.

Cookies with Hershey Kisses (larger portion)

Preheat oven to 375F
Line several baking sheets with parchment or foil.
Unwrap the Hershey's Kisses -- the amount depends on how large your cookies are.

3 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
1 c. peanut butter (I used natural peanut butter)
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter, add the sugars and beat well.
Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and combine.
Add in the peanut butter.
Add the dry ingredients and combine.
Form into balls -- the size of your choice.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and place one Kiss on each cookie.
Return to oven for about two minutes.

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Yesterday was a big day for the DH -- not only was it his 39th birthday but it was the publication of his memoir, a wonderful book called Leaving Story Avenue about growing up in a New York City housing project and eventually landing a job as a reporter for the New York Daily News.

The DH does not care for cake; he's more of a cookie man and so he requested peanut butter cookies for his birthday.  I do not care for peanut butter cookies, but I like to make him happy.

I found a promising recipe in my collection -- it seemed simple and possible, a big bonus among all these handwritten cards whose results are by no means guaranteed.   Best of all, these cookies were fantastic. Instead of the sandy texture of many peanut butter cookies, these are melt-in-your-mouth delicious (so I was told).

If you want to try your hand, here's some instruction.  Recipe card at the end.

Make sure the butter is soft and place it in a mixer with the peanut butter.  I used some fancy schmancy organic peanut butter from the corner store, but any type will do.  Add the sugars and then the beaten egg.  Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt)  in a bowl and simply pour into the mixer.  Blend until incorporated but don't overdo it, lest your cookies become tough.

If you have time, refrigerate the batter.  If not simply roll into one-inch balls and place on the baking sheet.  Working with cold dough is a bit easier, as this is a bit sticky.

Press each ball down with the tines of a fork, making a criss-cross pattern.  Not essential, but a nice and traditional touch.

For shortening, I always use butter for its flavor.  Check out the original oven temperature instructions on the second card!

The DH enjoying his birthday cookies. And his gifts!