Drop Cookies: Peannut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are a classic. They're delicious and fun. The forked pattern on the top is traditional, but it's not strictly necessary. I like the forked pattern not just because it's pretty, but because everyone can easily identify the peanut butter cookies on a tray of many cookies. But you can skip it, if you like.


Ingredients


½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
sugar (optional)


Preparation


Heat the oven to 375°F. Beat sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, milk, vanilla, and egg and blend until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until you have a soft dough. Using 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into balls. Place these balls at least 2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet.


If desired, flatten slightly using the tines of a fork dipped in sugar. Crisscross the fork to give the cookies the traditional peanut butter cookie look. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove immediately from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies. These cookies will keep for up to a week if stored in an airtight container.