Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

When I was a kid, I couldn't stand peanut butter cookies...I only remember trying them a couple times but when I did they reminded me of peanut flavoured dust pucks! My husband also claims that his Grandmother's peanut butter cookies tended to suck the moisture out of your mouth requiring gallons of milk to get them down!

Since we all love peanut butter around here, I just couldn't let this go...I decided that we needed a good recipe that was soft in the centre, had a real peanutty taste and would go nicely with a cold glass of milk if you so desired...not a cookie that required it to combat a choking fit!

To make these soft, nutty cookies, you will need: salted butter (softened), vegetable shortening (softened), peanut butter (smooth or crunchy), granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1 whole egg and 1 yolk, vanilla, all purpose flour and baking soda.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, then in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl with electric beaters), cream 6 tbsp.'s of softened butter and 2 tbsp.'s of shortening...

...next, add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar (packed) and beat on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.

Add 1 cup plus 2 tbsp.'s of peanut butter...

...and beat again until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Next, add a 1/2 tsp. of vanilla, 1 whole egg,

...1 yolk and mix until all is incorporated.

In a smaller, separate bowl, combine 1& 1/4 cups, plus 2 tbsp.'s of all purpose flour and a 1/2 tsp. of baking soda (not baking powder)...stir with a fork to mix the soda into the flour.

Stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture just until combined.

Grab chunks of dough (about the size of a golf ball)...(dough will also be sticky, so do not add any more flour. If you need to, dip your fingers in water to roll the ball (I was lazy and scooped the flour out instead of properly spooning the flour into the measuring cup then leveling the top off with a knife and added a tad too much flour, that's why these don't look sticky! ...and that was a run on sentence!!)

...then roll each chunk into a ball and set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Use a fork or a potato masher (dipped in flour) to press balls of dough down to flatten.

Repeat steps until all of the dough balls have been flattened and have a lovely design on the top...cause presentation is key!