Welfare Peanut Butter Cookies

Today is National Peanut Butter Day!  (Did you know that?  I sure didn't.  Just happened to run across that info online this afternoon.)  I love peanut butter, so in honor of today I thought I'd post a recipe for something peanut butter.  Hmmm...  What to choose??? - Cookies!  I actually found this recipe about a week ago on another blog called Lick The Bowl Good.  I've already made them once.  In fact, I had planned to blog this recipe last week.  I got all my ingredients and placed them on the kitchen counter and got to work.  I finished making the dough and started spooning it out onto the cookie sheet.  I noticed it seemed awefully crumbly.  The first batch went in the oven and smelled DELISH.  That's when I noticed the 2 eggs sitting on the counter.  That's right.  The 2 eggs that were supposed to be in the cookie dough.  ARGHHHH!!!!  Oh well!  My bad!  That was last Thursday.  Then today I was kicking around the idea of making these cookies again when I saw that it was National Peanut Butter Day.  I figured that had to be a sign!  Haha!  Maybe God wanted me to make these cookies?  Don't dismiss that thought entirely.  I mean, my hubby does love cookies and surprising him with these is a way I can show him love.  So I got to work!


You're probably wondering why these are called "Welfare Peanut Butter Cookies."  Well, if you'd like the whole story, you can read it here.  Basically though, this is the recipe that was found on the side of the HUGE jar of peanut butter that they used to give out years ago to people on welfare.  Many people say its the best peanut butter cookie they've ever had.  I'll let you decide that for yourself.  ;)

Anyway, on to the recipe...

First, I mixed 2 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda and set that aside.

Then, in my stand mixer bowl, I combined the fat (I used 1/2 cup butter, softened and 1/2 cup Crisco shortening, but you could use all butter if you like flatter, crisper cookes or all shortening if you like fluffier, chewier cookies) and the peanut butter.

By the way, do you have one of these Pampered Chef measuring cups?  They are AWESOME for measuring thick substances like peanut butter!  You just measure out the right amount and then push the bottom up to make it all come out!  Love it!

Then I mixed the fat and peanut butter until it was smooth.  Next I threw in 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup (packed) of brown sugar and mixed that all together.

Next came the eggs.  (I made sure to take a picture so that you won't make the same mistake I made and leave the eggs out.  Arghhhh again!!!!)

Again, I mixed the eggs in until everything was smooth.

Then I added the flour mixture a little at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl between each addition, until I had used all the flour and the dough looked like this...

Then I scooped them out with my little cookie scoop onto a cookie sheet.

(Aren't they pretty?)

Now here's where you make them look like traditional peanut butter cookies.  Take a fork and press it into the dough.

Then turn the fork and press again.

You end up with this cute little design...

Now do that with all the others.  And then put them into a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

And, voila!  Pretty Peanut Butter Cookies!!!

Welfare Peanut Butter Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup fat (butter, shortening, or both)

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.) Mix flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.

3.) Mix fat and peanut butter.  Add sugars.  Mix well.  Add eggs.  Beat well.

4.) Stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture.

5.) Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies