Mary's Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe Rating:	(335)
Category:	Cookies
Collections:	Baked Treats, Member's Choice
Serves:	A group

Ingredients

1/2 c	margarine, light
1/2 c	peanut butter, creamy
1/2 c	sugar (plus additional for rolling cookies in before baking)
1/2 c	brown sugar
1	egg
1/2 tsp	vanilla extract, pure
1 1/4 c	flour
3/4 tsp	baking soda
1/4 tsp	salt

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Mary Leanderts

Well Seasoned

Milwaukee, WI (pop. 594,833)

mcmaven

Member Since Oct 2009

Mary's Notes:
If I had to choose a "signature" recipe, this would be it. I've been making these since I was a teenager... because they're simply the softest, best-tasting peanut butter cookies I've ever had!

Comments from the Test Kitchen:

This is a great soft peanut butter cookie! My husband’s comment was that the peanut butter taste was not so overwhelming as most cookies of this type... very nice.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine margarine, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients and add to wet mixture.

Form into small balls, roll in remaining sugar and flatten with a fork... creating a criss-cross design.

Bake 10-12 minutes until practically perfect.

Note: You can substitute butter for the margarine, but I actually prefer the reduced-fat margarine in this recipe. Also, be careful not to over-bake. These cookies are best when they're a little under-done.

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1-12 of 71 comments on "Mary's Peanut Butter Cookies"

Jan Mullikin jmulliki

Apr 22, 2010

Thanks for this recipe. I only know how to make crunchy peanut butter cookies. My kids will be so happy now!

Sharon Willhite MsRotts

Jun 6, 2010

I made these today and they are really very good. The only thing I messed up on is I followed the recipe in order and didn't realiz I was supposed to save some extra sugar to put in later. Even with that mistake they were still really good. How much sugar should I have put aside and which sugar?

Mary Leanderts mcmaven

Jun 7, 2010

Hi Sharon, glad you liked the cookies! Sorry for any confusion... all of the sugar in the ingredients goes into the actual recipe. Additional white sugar is needed to roll the cookies in before baking. I'll add that to the ingredients list! Thanks.

Sharon Willhite MsRotts

Jun 7, 2010

Hi Mary, thanks for the clarification. I didn't roll these in sugar before I baked them but will do so next time. They were still really good even with that step left out. Thanks!

Polly Motzko PollyMotzko

Aug 30, 2010

Well Mary,
This looks like another winner from your kitchen!

I would love to make these for my friends and parents. :-) I love the easy to remember even proportions too. :-)

Have you ever made these with chocolate chips?

Polly Motzko

http://www.CookingUpAStorminCa.ning.com

Mary Leanderts mcmaven

Aug 30, 2010

Thanks, Polly! I've never tried them with chocolate chips.... because they're just so darn good on their own. I have used the recipe as the base for Peanut Butter Blossoms though (with Hershey Kisses on top).

Elizabeth... angelisnear1954

Sep 13, 2010

Hi!! These sound delicious but I was wondering if I can substitute the margerine for real butter? Thanks for sharing your recipe!! Liz

Mary Leanderts mcmaven

Sep 13, 2010

Absolutely. I've made them with margarine, light margarine and butter.... and all turned out well. They did seem to come out a little crispier when I used real butter, but perhaps I just baked them a tad long.