Love baking? Elissa Bernstein, 17, from Seattle is already an expert at it. This baking Betty's blog,
17 and Baking, documents her awesome adventures in the kitchen. This classic recipe for adorable miniature peanut butter chocolate chip button cookies is from
Hershey's Easy Baking.
What you'll need:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Granulated sugar for rolling
Chocolate chips (any type)
What you'll do:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat peanut butter and shortening until well mixed, then beat in the two sugars until light. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together, then add in 3 batches to the peanut butter mixture, beating well between additions.
3. I find that this dough is easier to work with when cold. Consider chilling the dough for 10 minutes or so before baking.
4. Using a 1/4 tsp, roll dough into 1/2 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 5-6 minutes (5 is best for me) and remove from oven. Immediately press a chocolate chip into the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. [Note: the chocolate chip will be warm and gooey for some time, so be careful before stacking them.]
5. Alternatively, drop heaped tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and press down gently with the tines of a fork. Do not roll dough or coat with sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden for tasty PB cookies.
The cookies will keep for several days at room temperature in an airtight container...but they usually don't even last that long!