FryBoy
New member
I made my mom's peanut butter cookies again this afternoon. They're simply the best I've ever had, and very easy to make. But this time I tried a couple of minor variations and made one small mistake, and the result was a slightly different (but still great) texture. I think I know why.
First, here's the recipe with some expanded directions for the inexperienced baker (like my daughter). It's also attached in a printable PDF version:
Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Annie Collins, 1911 – 1970
Mix:
½ cup shortening (Crisco)
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
1 egg
Beat shortening, peanut butter, and sugars in mixer until creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes; add egg and beat until well incorporated,
Sift Together:
1 cup sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Add about ½ the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture; mix on low speed until just incorporated; add remaining flour and mix until it is just incorporated.
Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut (about ¾ ounce each); flatten with a fork dipped in flour (make crisscross marks on each cookie with the tines of the fork).
Bake 8 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
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This time I made two small variations, just for the heck of it:
1. I added ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture before adding the egg.
2. I sprinkled a pinch of granulated sugar on each cookie before popping them in the oven.
And I made one mistake (and I wasn't even drinking) (yet): I forgot to sift the flour before measuring it, which in theory resulted in slightly more flour.
As I said, the cookies came out a little different this time. They are a little puffier than usual, and they have deep cracks across the surface, like some thick sugar cookies. Here are three photos, first the previous batch, then two of today's batch:
This is the previous batch.
Today's Batch
Today's Batch, Closeup.
The cracks don't show all that well in the photos, but they're there, trust me, and today's cookies have a different in texture. Maybe it's just batch variation, or maybe it's today's warm, dry weather. I think it's the little bit of extra flour.
What do you think?
Thanks.
First, here's the recipe with some expanded directions for the inexperienced baker (like my daughter). It's also attached in a printable PDF version:
Mom’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Annie Collins, 1911 – 1970
Mix:
½ cup shortening (Crisco)
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
1 egg
Beat shortening, peanut butter, and sugars in mixer until creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes; add egg and beat until well incorporated,
Sift Together:
1 cup sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Add about ½ the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture; mix on low speed until just incorporated; add remaining flour and mix until it is just incorporated.
Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut (about ¾ ounce each); flatten with a fork dipped in flour (make crisscross marks on each cookie with the tines of the fork).
Bake 8 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
________________________________________________
This time I made two small variations, just for the heck of it:
1. I added ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture before adding the egg.
2. I sprinkled a pinch of granulated sugar on each cookie before popping them in the oven.
And I made one mistake (and I wasn't even drinking) (yet): I forgot to sift the flour before measuring it, which in theory resulted in slightly more flour.
As I said, the cookies came out a little different this time. They are a little puffier than usual, and they have deep cracks across the surface, like some thick sugar cookies. Here are three photos, first the previous batch, then two of today's batch:
This is the previous batch.
Today's Batch
Today's Batch, Closeup.
The cracks don't show all that well in the photos, but they're there, trust me, and today's cookies have a different in texture. Maybe it's just batch variation, or maybe it's today's warm, dry weather. I think it's the little bit of extra flour.
What do you think?
Thanks.