Peanut Butter Cookies: The Traditional Way-The Easy Way!

Have you started your cookie baking, yet? If you have, you're ahead of me! We've been busy with other things around here...like completing the Christmas cards and getting decorations from the attic. We have yet to get the tree up! Maybe this weekend. In earlier times, it was a tradition in some parts of Europe to put the tree up and decorate it on Christmas eve (don't think I want to wait that long!)

The recipes that I'm anxious to share today are two versions of peanut butter cookies that I use for holidays. The first one is an old-fashioned, peanutty cookie with criss-cross design on top, just like grandma's and the second is a quicker version.

I made the quicker version for Ben's pre-school Christmas party years ago. I pressed the dough into elongated triangles. After they baked, and while they were still hot, I pressed mini twisted pretzels at the two corners of the triangle for antlers, and added two chocolate chips for eyes. A red gumdrop, in the third corner of the triangle, made a nose and... Rudolph appeared! Some of his little classmates were so thrilled with their cookie, that they wanted to carry it home to, "show Mommy" instead of eating it! You could make these Rudolph Cookies with any cookie dough that you like, but I think peanut butter is a little more substantial, and holds together better.

Peanut Butter Cookie-The Traditional Way

2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 C margarine
1 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 C firmly-packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat margarine and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars until well-blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and combine. Chill dough. Shape into 1" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2" apart. Flatten with floured fork, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 min. or until lightly-browned. Cool on wire racks. Makes 6 dozen.



Peanut Butter Cookies-The Easy Way!

1 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg

Combine ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1" balls and flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 min. (be careful not to overbake!) Makes 3 dozen.

I will be at BlessedwithGrace and www.BeautyandBedlam.com and TimeOutTuesdays today for the swaps.