Great Peanut Butter Cookies

Total Time: 18 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup crisco shortening (plain)
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature (no substitutions)
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter or 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chip (optional)
• 1/2 cup very finely chopped peanuts (preferably roasted) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 set regular oven at 375°f or (preferably convection oven set at 350°f).
• 2 lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• 3 in a bowl, cream shortening, butter, peanut butter, and both sugars with an electric mixture until mixed; add in eggs, beat until light and fluffy.
• 4 in another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir/mix into the creamed mixture, mix until well combined.
• 5 at this point, the chocolate chips or chopped peanuts may be added (if using).
• 6 refrigerate for half an hour.
• 7 remove from fridge; roll into 1-1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
• 8 flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern.
• 9 bake for about 8-9 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown (watch closely, these cookies bake quickly, don't over bake).
• 10 note: 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or 1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts (or both) may be added if desired, but only add 1/2 cup of each or 1/2 cup total of both combined, or cookies will not bake properly.