peanut butter cookies

Having just made some basic oatmeal cookies sometime ago, I thought about baking a batch of these good, old-fashioned sweet treats, peanut butter cookies. I have to admit, I've never made these cookies from scratch before. I used a basic and traditional recipe then adjusted it to my taste. Additional hazelnut flour added extra texture, nuttier flavor and aroma. I also decided to add a little glucose to make them chewy. It's a personal preference since I've always loved chewy cookies. When they finally came out of the oven, I wasn't sure whether they were supposed to be chewy or crispy. Since I'm not an authority on peanut butter cookies, I couldn't help asking myself, just what an ideal peanut butter cookie is anyway. I guess when it comes to cookies, whether thick and chewy or thin and crispy, it's just how you like them. For me, these peanut butter cookies turned out just the way I like them.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, whisk or stir together and set aside:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup shortening like Crisco

3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, lighty packed

1/4 cup glucose (optional ~ available in baking supply stores)

Add & continue to beat until well mixed:

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fold in the flour mixture and 1 cup hazelnut flour (optional) until combined. Refrigerate cookie dough for 2-4 hours. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the dough. Roll then place dough balls about 3" apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Flatten slightly then press with a plastic fork to create a crisscross pattern on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 57 cookies.