An all-time favorite (a.k.a. Peanut Butter Crisscross), this cookie is made by pressing a patterned top. These crunchy-tender cookies, whose peanut butter taste is enhanced by the occasional melting nugget of dark brown sugar, are best enjoyed with a glass of cold milk.

Yield: 4.5 dozen cookies | Baking Temperature: 350°F | Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (184g) vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (273g) creamy or crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 cups (361g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

  2. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together:

    • shortening
    • sugars
    • eggs
    • vanilla
    • baking soda
    • salt
    • peanut butter Add the flour, stirring to combine.

  3. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets.

  4. Press down each cookie with a fork to make a crisscross design.

  5. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned.

  6. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

The All-Important Crisscross

Though many cookie recipes call for you to flatten each ball of dough with the bottom of a drinking glass before baking, there are a select few that ask you to use the tines of a fork; the well-loved crunchy peanut butter cookie is foremost among these.

When flattening peanut butter cookie dough

  1. Lay the fork across the middle of the ball of dough and press down firmly, until it’s about ¼" thick.
  2. Remove the fork, rotate your hand 90 degrees, and press down across the cookie again, to make a tic-tac-toe pattern.

Tip: If the fork starts to stick, just dip it in water.