Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Growing up, we didn’t have very many peanut butter cookies.  Especially soft peanut butter cookies.  Mostly because they were the exact opposite of everything my dad likes in a cookie.  First of all, he doesn’t like peanut butter.  Second, he loves a crunchy cookie.  However, I have got to say, these are some of the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had.  They are so soft and chewy, and they stay that way for days!  That is, if they make it that long…

Sorry, Dad, these cookies are not for you!

Begin by getting your ingredients to room temperature well before you start.

You want the butter to be nice and soft so that it will cream together well with the peanut butter and sugar.

Next, add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and beat together well.

Last, mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix just until blended.  Feel like making them extra special?  Add a half-cup of either milk chocolate chips or peanut butter chips!

Roll the dough into balls and roll through granulated sugar before placing on baking sheets.  I use a small cookie scoop that I have which holds about 1 tablespoon of dough (which is how I get about 4 dozen!).  If you use a larger scoop, you’ll get fewer cookies: probably closer to 3 dozen.

Bake them only 10 to 12 minutes and do not over bake!  They will look like they are not done (they’ll be puffy), but trust me, they are.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before cooling completely on wire racks.

Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
From your Everyday Home Cook

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat together butter and peanut butter until well combined.  Add sugars and beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.  Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix just until blended.  Roll balls of dough in white sugar before placing on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet for at least 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 4 1/2 dozen