Peanut Butter Cookies

I'm excited for this weekend because we get an extra hour of weekend!! So, don't forget you turn that clock one hour back. Anytime you have an extra hour to do anything, it's always a good thing! :)

Today, I am reintroducing myself to the Peanut Butter Cookie. Now, I say "reintroducing" because many years ago in probably the 3rd grade, I ate a Peanut Butter Cookie for the first time and it was horrible. I remember it was from the "Grandma's" cookie package. You know, the one that came with two huge cookies? Well, I ate one of them and it was super soft, almost soggy. Generally, I don't enjoy eating the "Grandma's" cookies because of this overly soft, weird soggy texture. Am I the only one that feels this way? There is definitely a difference between these cookies and a home made one. Just because I haven't eaten a Peanut Butter Cookie since this incident, it doesn't mean I haven't eaten a cookie with peanut butter. I love Nutter Butters. Those are super delicious. A peanut butter flavored crunchy cookie filled with peanut butter! Say Whaaa?! So GOOD! However, today we're talking about the circular, chewy, Peanut Butter Cookie.

As usual, I began my search for a Peanut Butter Cookie with great reviews and so I ended up with this recipe from Gale Gand. I remember when she was on the Food Network and had her show "Sweet Dreams". I loved that show! However, her show always aired when I was at school. So, every time we had a half day at my elementary school, I would rush home just to watch it. I'm sad to say, that show is now gone :( At least now I can re-live this show by making some of the desserts she made like these cookies.

Tips

-These Peanut Butter Cookies are supposed to be sandwich cookies but I didn't make them into sandwiches.

-Don't be afraid of the baking temperature of 400 degrees F. I was skeptical of the temperature but I just went with it and my cookies turned out great in about 7 minutes!

Results

Taste: Subtle peanut flavor, not too sweet.

Texture: Not exactly chewy. More on the crumbly side.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe from Gale Gand

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
Grape jelly ice cream, recipe follows

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream the butter well in a mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the sugars and continue to mix well. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift the flour with the baking soda and the salt then add it to the mixer and blend. Add the peanut butter and mix well. Roll into 1/2-inch balls and place on a greased sheet pan 1-inch apart. Press a fork down on the surface lengthwise then crosswise to make a grid pattern. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes at 400 degrees until light golden brown. Let cool on the pan.

Place a small scoop of grape jelly ice cream on the bottom (flat) side of a cookie and top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Place in the freezer and repeat with the remaining cookies.

Grape Jelly Ice Cream
Ingredients
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup grape jelly

Directions
Fold grape jelly into vanilla ice cream, leaving some streaks of jelly. Freeze until ready to use in the sandwiches.


-Aaron John
My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure
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