Easy Peanut Butter Cookies: The Simplest Dessert You’ll Ever Bake

A good friend, who has made these cookies for decades, gave me this this recipe. I pass it on to my friends whenever I can because it's easy to remember and to bake. This article will teach you how to cook them, the pros and cons of the recipe, and possible variations.

Ingredients

1 cup of peanut butter

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°.

2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Roll dough into small balls.

4. Place balls on an ungreased baking sheet, at least 1" apart.

5. Press lightly with a fork to flatten. (In addition, it creates a cool design that makes the cookies look fancier than they are.)

6. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies should be soft, but not doughy, and golden brown.

Pros

1. This recipe is easy to remember because of the simple ingredients.

2. It is also easy to multiply. In my experience, the original recipe makes ten to 15 cookies. For potlucks or large gatherings, simply add ingredients by the same ratio.

3. The cookies are so delicious that people will ask you for the recipe or assume that you bought them.

4. Kids will have a great time helping you.

Cons

1. If you overcook them, even the dog won't consider them edible. Be sure to check on them every minute after ten minutes have passed.

2. The ingredients can be hard to mix. The egg and vanilla don't add a lot of liquid, so the peanut butter and sugar can be hard to mix, especially for people with arthritis or other joint problems. If you have an electric mixer, use it.

3. It can be time consuming. I once tripled the recipe and it took me almost an hour to mix the ingredients by hand.

Variations

1. Reduce the amount of sugar and/or substitute a sugar alternative such as Splenda®.

2. If you don't eat egg yolks, use two egg whites or egg alternative.

3. Add chocolate, (such as Hershey's Kisses®,) to the top of the cookies immediately after removing them from the oven.

4. Increase the vanilla extract to one tablespoon for extra flavor.

Conclusion

This recipe is very easy to remember and create. With a few variations, it can also be healthier than other desserts. I guarantee they will be a hit at your next social event.