Pantry Pull: 1-1-1 Peanut Butter Cookies

Looking through the list of recipe links on this site, I thought for sure I shared my peanut butter cookie recipe. It's a cookie recipe my sisters and I have been using now for almost 30 years. It's easy and especially rich and delicious. 

I refer to the recipe as "1-1-1" because the cookies need only "one" each of the three easy ingredients, or four ingredients only if you want to add a chocolate "kiss" on top. In my kitchen, the addition of this popular chocolate candy is only done during the holidays. Otherwise, using a fork dipped into sugar making the traditional criss-cross impression on top of a peanut butter cookie is the only finishing touch you need. 

Fresh from the oven.
Important to let the chocolate set for at least an hour to keep its shape.

Ingredients:

One cup of peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
One cup of white sugar
One egg

Combine peanut butter, white sugar, and egg. Mix well until smooth. Let chill for at least 15 minutes. This will give you enough time to preheat the oven to 350F degrees, prepare the baking sheet(s) with parchment paper, locate the cookie scoop, and remove the foil from the chocolate "kisses" if you choose to go that route. 

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. I use a small cookie/ice cream scoop for consistency (they measure out to be 1 to 1.5 tablespoon scoops). Dip a fork into sugar and make the traditional criss-cross on top of each cookie. 

Will I crisscross or chocolate top? 

Bake at 350F degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! After the tray of cookies is removed from the oven let them set up and become firm before removing the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack or plate. Makes about 12 cookies. The recipe can be doubled by using 2-2-2 of each ingredient for a couple dozen. 

Use peanut butter such as Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan brands. The recipe doesn't work as well with "natural" peanut butter. And if you do use natural peanut butter and/or mess with the white sugar and don't get the results, don't be like those people who comment on the New York Times Cooking section when they screw with the recipe ingredients and then complain. 

The recipe is great for those going gluten-free. You may use it for Passover depending on your traditional food experience since peanuts are legumes.

If adding a chocolate "kiss" on top of the cookie, for now lightly roll the cookie ball of dough into sugar (or not) and place it on the baking sheet without making the criss-cross impression. You will place the chocolate "kiss" on top of the baked cookies after removing them from the oven - and before the cookies cool. Also, important to let the chocolate cool and harden for at least an hour to keep its shape.