Makes about 4 Dozen Small Cookies
4½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
¾ pound butter, at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons canola oil
1½ Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups peanut butter
Sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream together the butter and both sugars until smooth in a separate medium bowl.
- Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Add the oil and mix in well.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and peanut butter.
- Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly and make a cross-hatch pattern on the top of each with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with extra sugar if desired.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning pan once halfway through, until cookies are just have the slightest hint of gold. Do not over-bake or they will be dry. Allow cookies to cool on the pans two minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely.
Our chef and innkeeper, John, doesn’t like peanut butter cookies, but he’s pretty pleased with this version. If you like extra goodies, try adding chocolate chunks, chocolate or peanut butter chips, or chopped, unsalted peanuts.
