My Favorite Cookie

In a previous post, I mentioned something about a peanut butter cookie recipe. Well, here is my most favorite recipe…EVER…for peanut butter cookies. This recipe is adapted from one my mom had scribbled on an index card in her recipe box. I don’t know the source, so let’s pretend it was passed down through the generations…although it probably wasn’t. Anyway, I call these Peanut Butter Babas (ummm…don’t ask me why, it’s a bit strange…). I never said cookies were supposed to be healthy…remember that! But, they are TASTY!

Peanut Butter Babas

1/2 cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance), softened

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup unrefined sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg replaced (whatever method makes you happy, although I have only ever tried plain soy yogurt and Ener’G Egg Replacer)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour works nicely too, but you may have to adjust the amount)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the margarine and peanut butter together in a stand mixer (or use your hand mixer) until smooth and creamy. Add in the sugars. Beat until fluffy. Add in your replaced egg and vanilla. Beat until even more fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, slowly. Using about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of dough, shape into balls (I use a BIG cookie scoop to make perfectly round cookies, because I am a bit of a perfectionist…sometimes…). Place cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. One at a time, dip the cookie balls in a shallow dish with some sugar in it. Slightly flatten each cookie ball with the palm of your hand, and use either a fork or a potato masher to make a pretty criss-cross pattern on the top (flattening the cookie a bit more). Bake in your oven for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are golden (if you have a sassy oven like I do, you may want to adjust the baking time accordingly). Let the cookies cool a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Makes about 8 big, fat, yummy cookies. Or, if you want, make these smaller so you have lots!

~ by tahinitoo on April 13, 2008.