Peanut Butter Cookies! Oldie, but yummy.

Just a quick post while I'm prepping for Tour de Vin this Thursday at Whole Foods downtown.

The weather has been particularly drab this week. I suppose Austin can't be beautiful all the time, but we are a spoiled bunch. And in dark and sometimes rainy weather, there's only one thing to do... bake! I like making peanut butter cookies because I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry. Make them for someone you like, love or miss. It will definitely catch their attention.

p.s. adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips never hurt anybody either!

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
8 tbsp. softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups chunky peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside. Put the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy but not fluffy, about 1 minute.

Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla, and beat until just smooth, about 30 seconds. Stir in the reserved flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 12.

Preheat oven to 325°. Pinch off heaping tablespoon-size pieces of dough and roll into balls. Arrange balls 2 1/2'' apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Use tines of a fork to flatten balls to a thickness of about 1/2'' and to make a grid pattern on top.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies completely before storing in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.