The week was running out and I still hadn't made something from Mommom's cookbook, so decided on making these peanut butter cookies. I've made them before and was pretty sure I had all the ingredients at home. I was wrong, I still hadn't bought any baking soda after realizing I didn't have any while making the Morning Glory Muffins a couple weeks ago. Since it worked for those muffins, I wasn't too worried about it. Nope. Nope. Nope. Something went wrong and I'm blaming the lack of baking soda and the surplus of baking powder.
While I was baking, my cousin Timothy showed up. Where there is food, there is Timothy. Actually, he had no idea I was baking (or making dinner, which he stayed for). He was nice enough to eat a good amount of the batch. Matt ate some too. Both agreed that there was something off though.
I wasn't satisfied with funky cookies, so the next day Matt bought be some fresh baking soda on his way home from work and I remade the whole thing. They turned out way better! They were just like I remembered. I'm so glad that I started over and did it again. It was well worth it! Orange County Fire Rescue station 66 B shift got that batch.
The recipe is pretty straight forward and easy, especially if your best friends gave you a standing mixer as a wedding present (thanks Ashleigh and Shannon!). As always when baking, make sure your butter is softened. You shouldn't need to worry about that with the shortening though. The only problem I had was with flour being flung out of the mixing bowl before it could be mixed in. Next time I would add the dry ingredients a quarter at a time.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup shortening, half butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 t. vanilla
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until smooth, add peanut butter and blend, add eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add dry ingredients in half at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Scoop out small balls of dough the size of a walnuts and place on cookie sheet. Use back of fork and press dough flat.
Bake 7 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
