Peanut Butter Cookies

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

P.B.C.’s, as he affectionately initializes them, are a favorite of my husband.  It’s the extra peanut butter that makes them so good.  They are a very dense, chewy cookie. These are my own devising, and I’m very proud of how delicious they are.

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups good peanut butter, crunchy

1 egg, beaten

Grated rind of one small orange

¼ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla paste

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

!/2 teaspoon baking soda

 

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly butter a cookie sheet.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar, then cream in the peanut butter.  Add the beaten egg.   Add the flavorings.  Sift in the dry ingredients.  Work with a big spoon or your hands until all the flour is incorporated.

Roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet.  Press the cookies with a flour-dipped fork, making crosshatched patterns.  Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes.  Cool a couple of minutes, and then remove from pan.  Makes about 2 – 4 dozen, depending on how big you make the cookies.

Delicious Chocolate Almond Shortbread Recipe for the holidays.

This recipe is my own devising, less “short” than the traditional recipes, with a dense texture and a unique flavor from the brown sugar and almond extract.

These are a bit raggedy, since I waited till they were cool before I cut them.

YVES’ CHOCOLATE ALMOND SHORTBREAD 4 cups flour

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate  bits

Toasted almonds for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 13 x 9 inch pan

Cream the butter and sugar together till fluffy.  Beat in the egg, then add the vanilla and almond extracts.  Add the flour a cup at a time.  You’ll need to work in the last cup with your hands.  It feels very sumptuous!

Press into baking pan, and bake about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Sprinkle the chocolate bits over the shortbread and allow to melt enough to spread into frosting.  Mark off the number of the pieces desired with toasted (or not) almonds.  Cut while still warm.

Happy Holidays

In honor of holiday feasting, I’ll be offering my own Chocolate Almond Shortbread.   Early in 2013 there will be a perfume giveaway of an Yves Fey Eau de Parfum.  Meanwhile, savor this delightful Art Nouveau French poster celebrating both Cats and Chocolate!