Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles

My mom baked peanut butter cookies and Snickerdoodles all the time, but never thought of combining these two flavors--my favorites.

Peanut Butter cookies date back to 1910 in the United States. George Washington Carver, an American agriculture educator who stressed that peanuts could replace the cotton crops that were damaged by Weevils for the farmers wrote a book, "How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption" and in the book, there were three recipes for Peanut Butter Cookies.  However, it wasn't until 1932, published in the Schenectady Gazette that the criss-cross marks made with the tines of a fork appeared.  Pillsbury instructed cooks to do this because peanut butter cookie dough is dense and by pressing it with the fork, the cookie cooks more evenly.

Snickerdoodles are likely German in origin called Scheneckennudal.  Somewhat like a sugar cookie, except Cream of Tartar is substituted for baking soda and the cookie is rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  Cream of Tartar, chemically referred as Potassium bitartrate, crystallizes in wine casks during the fermentation of grape juice.  Removing these crystals and straining through cheesecloth is called beeswing.  The white powder is used in many culinary and household purposes. It gives the "crunch" is these Peanut Butter cookies that are normally soft and chewy.

Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles
1/4 cup (4T) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1T cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together for 5 minutes, until fluffy.  Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and egg and mix on medium until combines.  Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined; the dough will be stiff.

Form 1-inch balls from the dough and roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Place on the parchment lined baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.  Use a dinner fork to create the criss-cross pattern.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until brown.

These recipes makes almost 3 dozen.  Now, grab a glass of milk, take a bite and imagine you're a kid again coming home from school and mom has baked cookies.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies with a Twist and November's Give-Away-Apron

Have you seen the different spreads on the grocery shelves next to peanut butter?  I've been noticing this Chocolate~Peanut Butter by Reese's (need I say more) and decided to buy it to try in a cookie.  So, this is an old-fashioned cookie with a twist.

Peanut Butter cookies were a favorite when I was growing up; great for lunch boxes, but also for M & C's when we got home.  I know today it would be difficult to have your children take these to school because of peanut allergies and in addition, at my granddaughter's school, they're not even allowed to have anything homemade!  It makes me sad, but these cookies make me happy:-D

Peanut Butter Cookies with a Twist
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 jar (13 oz) Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate
2 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 cups Old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups Peanut Butter chips (I used mini)

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees (180C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add the Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate and vanilla extract and beat on low to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low to combine.  Finally, add the peanut butter chips.

Use a #20 scoop to measure out the cookies on the parchment-lined sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a rack to cool completely.  Great with a large glass of milk and some conversation with your kids or grandkids.  Enjoy!

Now, as promised...here is the apron for November!

As you can see, I've chosen some pretty rich colors reflecting the beauty of the month.  If you'd like to have this apron for the holidays, just comment on posts in November and I could be sending this beauty your way.

PB Chippers

The plate's pattern is called "My Spring Garden" by Lynn Gertenbach and it was a gift.

Happy Spring...hopefully, you are feeling like it's not far behind.  It's rainy and gloomy here in the Pacific Northwest, with just a hint of sunshine, so baking cookies seems like a good idea.

The cookies I created today were inspired by my daughters...in a way and by the fact that I literally lived on peanut butter growing up (and still do)!  First, my girls loved crushing potato chips and putting them on their sandwiches, particularly, tuna fish sandwiches.  I've never been a tuna fish fan, so my choice was crushing them for my peanut butter sandwich and, on top of that, we all loved anything salty dipped in chocolate, so, Ta Da! I made a peanut butter cookie with crushed potato chips and mini chocolate chips.

I'm pretty sure we got our "strange sense of taste gene" from my mother.  She was the Queen of unusual combinations; snacking on such things as Cheetos and Marshmallow Fluff or eating Ketchup Sandwiches.  She definitely was the one who got me hooked on peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, which, by the way, made my peers in school cringe:-))

PB Chippers
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1 /4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 large eggs
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup crushed potato chips (regular not Kettle-cooked)
1 cup mini Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment.
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together thoroughly.  Add the vanilla and peanut butter.

I used crunchy! 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.   Add the dry ingredients and the potato chips to the mixture and combine.

   Finally, add the mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop to measure dough onto the prepared baking sheets.

You can use a fork to do a "criss-cross" pattern, or as I did, and use a meat mallet to press down the dough mounds.

It also makes a pretty pattern in the cookie.

Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet about ten minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

This recipe makes 2 1/2 dozen+ of 3-inch cookies.  If you don't tell anyone about the potato chips they'll keep wondering what that salty crunch is!

Do you have any unusual food combinations...that you'll admit too? Happy Spring and Enjoy!