SANTA'S 2ND FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE - PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES RECIPE

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Here is another of my grandmother's cookie recipes.  This recipe also has to be about 100 years old.  After she would bake the Rocks (see BELOW), she would then bake the peanut butter cookies.  The holidays were the only time she would bake these cookies.  Me?  I like to bake them anytime, but I always bake them at Christmas.  Just today, I baked the Rocks, some of which I will give as gifts.  Tomorrow is the Peanut Butter cookies.  When baking cookies, use parchment paper on the cookie sheet.  You do not have to place a new sheet for each batch you bake, just reuse.  Parchment paper keeps the cookie sheet clean, just wipe it off when finished baking. 

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt - better for you)

1 cup peanut butter (I use natural peanut butter) smooth or crunchy - your option

Cream sugars and shortening.  Add well-beaten eggs and vanilla.  Mix together flour, soda, and salt then add to mixture.  Mix.  Add peanut butter and mix well.  Roll dough into individual balls about the size of a walnut.  I usually 'roll' the whole batch of dough, while waiting for the first batch of cookies to bake.  Place the balls on the cookie sheet and using a fork that you've dipped in some flour, press down on the cookie.  I usually make a criss-cross pattern.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

When I bake these at Christmas, I put red and green sprinkles on the top.  

NOEL!