Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

 Do you like peanut butter as much as I do?  I am betting you don't, or maybe you do, but whatever the case I bet I eat peanut butter in one way or another every day.   Usually its a piece of toast and peanut butter or a slice of bread with peanut butter on it . . .  but every once in a while I bake myself a peanut butter treat.

 

Sometimes it will be a cake and sometimes it will be peanut butter cookies.  I have tried a lot of different peanut butter cookie recipes in my life time, but I always come back to this one because it is my favourite.



 It's my favourite because the cookies end up big and soft and chewy.



Just perfect for enjoying with a nice tall glass of milk for dunking . . .

 

Not too sweet . . .  with just the right amount of peanut butter flavour . . .  almost fudgy.  Perfect for the lunch box, or the picnic box, or . . .  just for eating.

 

It's makes just the right amount of cookies for a couple of days, which suits me to a "T."   Any more than that and I would be tempted to make a right pig of myself.  Bake em and you'll soon see what I am talking about.

 *Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies*
Makes about 18 (3 inch) cookies

Printable Recipe  

This makes lovely big soft and chewy peanut butter cookies. Perfect for stuffing into the lunch box, or just for enjoying with a nice tall glass of cold milk after school. 

85g of butter, softened (6 TBS)

200g  light brown muscovado sugar (1 cup packed, can use just soft light brown sugar)

1/2 tsp salt

340g of creamy peanut butter (1 1/3 cups)

1 large free range egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

140g plus 2 TBS of plain flour (1 cup plus 2 TBS)

1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 

Preheat the oven to 90*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line two baking sheets with baking paper set aside. 

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.   Beat in the salt and peanut butter.   Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Sift in the flour and soda.   Mix to form a soft dough.  Divide the dough equally into 18 portions and roll each between the palms of your hand into a round ball.  Place on the baking sheets, about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Press down lightly using a floured fork, first one day and then the other to make a cross hatch pattern and pressing them only to about 1 inch thickness. 

Bake until light golden brown and puffed, about 8 to 10 minutes, turning the pans around halfway through the baking time.   Allow to cool on the pan for five minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.   Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.