Anna Sultana’s Peanut Butter Cookies - Easy and Traditional

Ah… September… back to school… 

packed lunches… desserts.

Cakes are great, but usually are a problem if they have icing.

Yep, time to make some cookies.

When I was a kid I got curious about peanut butter.

Maltese make spreads from beans - Bigilla.

They make cookies with sesame seeds - Qaghag tal-Gulglien.

They also make cookies with almonds - Kwarezimal.

But peanuts and peanut butter were unexplored territory.

So, Ma bought a jar and made me some sandwiches.

Nobody else was interested, so the stuff just sat on the shelf.

A friend gave Ma a couple of cookie recipes.

The family liked them.

And I hope you will, too.

Hints:

These recipes work with both crunchy and smooth peanut butter. 

The cookies can be baked and frozen up to one month.

Thaw at room temperature before serving.

You can add 1/2 Cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots to the dough before rolling into balls.

After cookies are completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in airtight container.  Store at room temperature up to 3 days. 

Or freeze in freezer-weight resealable plastic bag up to 1 month. 

Thaw at room temperature before serving. 

                        Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

                       

Makes 24 cookies

In a medium bowl place

1 Cup peanut butter

1/2 Cup sugar

1 egg

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Roll into 24 balls.

Preheat oven to 325º 

Place them 4 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. 

Using a fork dipped in flour flatten the balls.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until they are lightly browned. 

Let cool on the cookie pans for 5 minutes.

Transfer to racks to cool completely.

                        Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies

                       

Makes 30 cookies

Grease 2 large cookie pans              

In a medium bowl combine

2 1/2 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixer bowl place

1 Cup butter, softened 

1 Cup peanut butter

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup brown sugar, packed

Beat, on low speed beat, until light and fluffy.

Blend in

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well after each addition.

Preheat oven to 350º   

Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart on the prepared pan.

Flatten each, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork dipped in flour. 

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned. 

Let cool on the cookie pans for 5 minutes.

Transfer to racks to cool completely.