Two at a Time Baking

We are having a potluck lunch tomorrow at my office and I made a double batch of these peanut butter cookies.  I only made one tweak - since there was so much flour, I added it in two batches, mixing on low in between each addition.  I used a combination of jelly roll pans, baking sheets, parchment paper and silicone mats.  I preferred the cookies that were baked on silicone mats.  Everything worked out really well - further confirming this as my go-to peanut butter cookie recipe.  Yum!

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 20 cookies
Adapted from Cookie Madness

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2.  Combine white and brown sugars, butter, peanut butter, vanilla and egg.  Beat well for about 1-2 minutes using an electric mixer until well combined.
3.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to batter in two batches, beating well on low speed in between each (about 20-30 seconds each).
4.  Using a 0.25 cup ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheet leaving about 2 inches in between cookies.
5. Bake for 13-16 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
6.  Enjoy!

 

Today's project was to find a recipe for a classic peanut butter cookie - pretty big but not wagon-wheel big, mostly soft and chewy with an ever-so-slightly crispy exterior.   Cookie Madness came through with an outstanding recipe that fits the bill on all counts.  I made only a few modifications to the recipe, including that I didn't chill the dough before baking it.  Actually, I experimented with chilling some of the dough before baking and had the same experience that I always seem to have when I bake chilled dough - the bottoms got really dark.  Not sure why that happens but the solution (to just not chill the dough) works well, given my usual impatience to get on to the baking and eating.  I highly recommend giving this recipe a try.

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 10 cookies
Adapted from Cookie Madness

0.5 cup light brown sugar
0.5 cup granulated sugar
0.5 cup butter
0.5 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1.25 cups all-purpose flour
0.5 teaspoon baking powder
0.5 teaspoon baking soda
0.5 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2.  Combine white and brown sugars, butter, peanut butter, vanilla and egg.  Beat well for about 1-2 minutes using an electric mixer until well combined. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
3.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to batter and beat well (about 30 seconds).
4.  Using a 0.25 cup ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheet leaving about 2 inches in between cookies.
5. Bake for 13-16 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
6.  Enjoy!