Retro Peanut Butter Cookies

from Family Circle

Retro Peanut Butter Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen cookies Prep 25 mins Freeze 20 mins Bake 375°F 10 mins to 12 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar, sieved if lumpy
  • 1/2 cup vanilla-scented granulated sugar (see Note)
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

Make It

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment. Onto sheet of waxed paper, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and cloves.

2. In large bowl of freestanding mixer, beat butter and shortening on low speed until creamy, 3 minutes. Add light brown sugar; beat on moderate speed 1 minute. Add vanilla-scented sugar; beat 1 minute. With rubber spatula, blend in peanut butter, eggs and vanilla extract.

3. On low speed, add sifted flour mixture in 2 additions, beating just until flour is absorbed. Mix in peanuts.

4. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap; press into flat cake; wrap and place in small baking pan. Freeze 20 minutes. Or, refrigerate 4 hours, until firm enough to handle (can be refrigerated up to 2 days).

5. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Have plate of flour ready. For each cookie, shape heaping tablespoon dough into ball. Place balls, 3 inches apart, on lined cookie sheets, arranging 9 to a sheet. Flatten balls slightly with floured bottom of juice glass or palm of hand. Lightly dip tines of fork in flour; crisscross cookies twice (from top to bottom, side to side), pressing down lightly to level dough a bit.

6. Bake in 375 degree F oven 10 to 12 minutes, until just set. Transfer cookies to wire racks. Let cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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