It is no secret that peanut butter is a favorite in my home … after all, I married The Peanut Butter Addict …  he is also a cookie monster, but not blue and furry … and we have three cookie monster sons.  I have baked a lot of cookies over the years … and I mean a lot!  This recipe is one that I grew up with … my mom used it when I was a little girl (about 100 years ago).  These cookies are one of my family’s favorites.  They are just plain old-fashioned peanut butter cookies … nothing fancy.  I have tried other recipes … and always come back to this one.  Last month I shared a different peanut butter cookie recipe with you … it too is good … but this is the family favorite.

Let me show you how “well used” this recipe has been over the years.  When I got married and moved out, my sister wrote this copy for me … it has obviously had a hard life … the measuring spoons and cups are from the 1970’s also …

   Considering that this started as one piece of paper …        I think it’s time to make a new copy!

This can be done by hand … back in 1973 I did not own a stand mixer … just a large bowl and a wooden spoon.   Using a large bowl, add shortening, white sugar and brown sugar … cream until very soft …

  

Add eggs and vanilla … beat until well blended …

  

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt …

If your bowl cannot accommodate all of the flour (without causing a flour explosion) … add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the wet mixture … mix … then add the remaining flour mixture … mix well …

  

Roll dough into balls … about the size of a walnut … place on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet … use a fork to flatten cookie slightly in a criss-cross pattern … dipping the fork in water helps prevent sticking …

Bake … cool … consume …

  

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening (Crisco)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups flour (I use unbleached)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening and sugars until very soft.  Add vanilla and eggs, beat well.  Add peanut butter and mix well.  In a medium bowl whisk or sift together flour, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix until well blended.  Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet.  Using a fork dipped in water, slightly flatten dough ball in a criss-cross pattern.  Bake at 350º for 11-13 minutes.  Let cookies set on baking sheet for a few minutes for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  Makes about 4 dozen.

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