Peanut Butter Cookies

Nothing is better than a fresh baked cookie right out of the oven.
Growing up we loved to bake. I did not meet my Grandpa who was a baker, but enjoyed hearing the stories of living and growing up in the bakery from my mom. Every Sunday afternoon we would figure out something sweet to make. My mom still had several pans and instruments from Grandpa's bakery. I asked mom if I could borrow her PB Cookie press from Grandpa's bakery. Knowing I am such a sentimental sap, my mom told me I could keep the cookie press-- and I am so excited to have it in my collection now.

One day this past summer, Jeremy brought home a few PB Cookies his boss had brought in. They were amazing, chewy, nutty goodness. Since Jeremy's company decided raises were not an option that year, I asked him to beg and plead for the recipe in lieu of $.

Peanut Butter Cookies- Amazing recipe given to my husband in lieu of a raise

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 16 T. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, ground to resemble bread crumbs

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
2. Beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated, then the eggs (1 at a time), then the vanilla. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture. Add the ground peanuts and stir gently until just incorporated.
3. Working with a generous 2 tablespoons each time, roll the dough into 2-inch balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2.5 inches apart. Press each dough ball twice with a dinner fork dipped in cold water to make a criss-cross design.
4. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown around the edges, but not on top, 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back on top to bottom halfway through the baking time. cook the cookies on the backing sheets until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.