Criss-Cross Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

There is something so comforting about the criss-cross pattern on the top of each peanut butter cookie. You know right then that someone hand-pressed a fork into each dough ball twice. That simple act feels like a little kiss (well two kisses) and makes the cookies even sweeter in my opinion. For classic cookies, I use the recipe my Mom uses. It adapted from the Skippy jar. Yes, it’s all about haute cuisine for Juju.

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Classic Skippy Peanut Butter Cookies

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Skippy creamy or chunky peanut butter
12 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra sugar for criss-cross goodness

1. Preheat oven to 350F or 175C.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt then set aside.

3. Beat the peanut butter in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth (aside from bits of peanuts if using chunky spread). Beat in both sugars, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. This is when I like to refrigerate it to firm it up for working with and I usually keep some in the fridge to bake fresh cookies when the craving hits.
3. Scoop dough balls out of the chilled batter with a spoon. I use a round spoon, but a melon baller would be handy too. Arrange cookies on ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie and press criss-cross pattern into tops with fork dipped in sugar.
4. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely on wire rack. Store in tightly covered container, if not devoured immediately.

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Oh, let’s just take a closer look just in case the Internet transmits scents now too…

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Did it work? Could you smell the peanut buttery goodness? No? Ok, I’ll share another photo then to make up for that.

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