Mum’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Mum’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

·      200g/ 1 ½ cups flour

·      113g/ ½  cup butter, room temperature

·      110g/ ½ cup brown sugar

·      100g/ ½  cup caster/superfine sugar

·      1 large egg, room temperature

·      ½  teaspoon baking soda

·      ½  teaspoon salt

·      250g/ 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

·      ½  tsp vanilla extract

·      (Optional, but highly recommended) 150g/ ¾ cup mini M&M’s, chocolate chips or chopped roasted peanuts

·      (Optional, but lovely if omitting peanuts/M&M’s) ½ cup caster/superfine sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling cookies

Method:

1.   Preheat the oven to 180 C (375 F/350 Convection/Fan Oven) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.   Beat the butter and sugars together until creamy.

3.   Add the egg to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until fully incorporated.

4.   Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until cohesive.

5.   In a separate bowl, sift then whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt together.

6.   Add to butter mixture and mix briefly until the dough comes together.

7.   Fold in the mini M&M’s or peanuts if using.

8.   Roll the dough into small balls about 1 inch (3 cm’s), place on a lined baking sheet two inches apart. gently press down balls with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup dipped in flour just to flatten slightly.

9.   If omitting the peanuts/M&M’s, roll each ball in the bowl of caster sugar, place on a lined baking sheet two inches apart.  Press down tops of balls with a fork (in two directions to get a crisscross effect.)  

10.        Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown.

11.        Remove and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

NOTES: Dough can be rolled into a log, wrapped in parchment paper and frozen for up to 3 months. You can slice cookies (1/2’ -3/4” wide slices depending on the width of your log) and bake from frozen. You may need to add an extra 2-3 minutes to baking time.

You can also follow recipe to step 9, place cookie sheets in freezer for an hour and then remove frozen balls to a Ziplock bag for a quick peanut butter fix whenever you like.