Peanut Butter Cookies

When I was in college, I worked at The Great American Cookie Company. Shocking, I know. What's really shocking is that I hated that job more than any other part-time gig I've held. Probably because it was more of an unwanted full-time gig, while I was a full-time student, and added more stress than any college class would ever cause.

However, they did have good cookies. The job certainly had its perks. My roommates loved that I brought home boxes of cookies and cookie cakes every night.

One of my favorites was the peanut butter cookie. This weekend I made my own peanut butter cookies in attempt to match the cookie that kept me company the first semester of junior year (had I worked there any longer my teeth would have fallen out from all the sugar).

What I loved about those cookies was that they had actual peanuts in them, giving them a little more zazz than plain old peanut butter. I made mine with chopped salted peanuts and peanut butter chips. As always with peanut butter cookies, dab the tops in a bowl of sugar and make the criss-cross with a fork before pressing them down. That's just how peanut butter cookies work! At least in the Chalkey house.

These cookies are so good right out of the oven with a glass of cold milk.

Now we have plenty of cookies in the cookie jar! Which means we need visitors to help us eat them!

I noticed a certain someone got into the cookie jar this morning and left me half a cookie.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2c. butter, softened
• 1/2c. shortening
• 2 eggs
• 3/4c. brown sugar
• 3/4c. sugar
• 1t. vanilla
• 1t. baking soda
• 1t. salt
• 2 1/4c. flour
• 1/2c. peanut butter, I used creamy
• 1/4c. chopped salted peanuts
• 1/2c. peanut butter chips

1. Beat butter, shortening, eggs, both sugars and vanilla together in a large bowl. 
2. Add in peanut butter until well blended.
3. Add baking soda and salt. Add flour gradually, until mixture is thick enough.
4. Mix in peanuts and peanut butter chips.
5. Refrigerate at least one hour.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes. Peanut butter cookies tend to take a little longer than chocolate chip cookies.
7. Enjoy!