Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Many years ago I had the perfect recipe for peanut butter cookies, but then after moving multiple times, the book with it was lost. After this last move, we have the goal of being box free. To my surprise, I found a box full of recipe books and low and behold my favorite cookie recipe book was found. It is the "Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book!"

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups (packed) brown sugar. (I use light brown sugar but recipe calls for dark)

2 sticks (1 cup) margarine softened (or salted butter)
3 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 *F

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, flour, soda and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a large bowl, or mixing bowl, blend sugars with a eclectic mixer or stand mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed. Do not over mix.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 1 1/2 inches apart. With a wet fork, gently press a crisscross pattern on top of cookes. Bake for 18-22 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along the edges. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool flat surface with a spatula.

As a variation, add 2 cups of coarsely chocolate chips to the flour mixture and then bake as directed.

Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen

Enjoy!!