Crumb of the Month (May)...Good Ole Peanut Butter Cookies

What goes best with peanut butter??? Always a debate in my opinion. So clearly peanut butter and chocolate is ALWAYS a favorite, but what about peanut butter and coffee? Ok so maybe I should clarify, I am not talking about putting coffee flavoring in a peanut butter flavored treat, but rather warm rich coffee served in tandem with your freshly baked peanut butter cookies...I know what you are thinking...NOTHING BETTER! It truly is one of the most delectable flavor combos that exists in modern flavors, well at least in my opinion that is!

So enough about my opinion, lets get on to the star of the show here...Peanut Butter Cookies that is! These cookies will likely cause you to abandon all previous recipes you ever thought were "good", and they will also make you abandon any diet you may have had for the upcoming summer months. I even broke my little "wedding slim down" for a couple of these treats, and trust me, it was worth it! So what makes them so good you say? I must say it is multifactorial. First off, peanut butter, it is just one of those things that makes your tastebuds scream to the holy heavens everytime the get a little taste of it. Be careful however when you do venture out to make these, you must use the right peanut butter. Jif creamy is the only way to go in both my hubby to be (in less than 3 weeks mind you) and my humble opinions! Secondly this cookie merries the perfect harmony of buttery, flakey outer edges and a moist chewy center, it truly is the best of both worlds! Now before I jump away from my computer to grab yet another cookie, I will get to the recipe and let you be the judge!

Good Ole Peanut Butter Cookies: (adapted from Bon Appetit)
makes 36 medium size cookies

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4  cup JIF creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter until creamy, and peanut butter and beat until perfectly smooth and creamy. Beat in both sugars. Next mix in the vanilla and eggs, one egg at a time. Mixture will be a consistency similar to cottage cheese at this point :) Scrape down sides of bowl. Slowly encorporate the dry ingredients until fully mixed.

For each cookie, scoop out 1/8 cup of dough and roll into a loose ball. Arrange dough balls 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using back of fork, flatten dough balls and form crosshatch design on tops. Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top of crosshatch design. Bake cookies until dry on top and golden brown on bottom, about 14-16 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

As you can see, I could not decide which

fork provided the best crosshatch

ready to be baked!

As I said, peanut butter and coffee, you just can't beat it! So go ahead, throw on a pot and get to baking! Trust me, these are worth it! Happy Baking, happier eating!