the best peanut butter cookies ever

Okay, so here's the deal, these really are the best peanut butter cookies ever! I have had many a peanut butter cookie in my life because they are not only my Dad's favorite but my husband's as well. My wonderful Dad has been doing a ton of work on our house since we bought it. Updating things, fixing things and adding things. This week he's been here every day working on something, putting up fence, working on leveling the floor and hooking up water to our fridge. I decided that since it's almost Father's day and he's done such an amazing job that I would make him some of his favorite cookies. I was searching online for a recipe when I realized that I was forgetting that my Mother-in-law is the cookie queen! So, I called her up and got this recipe and everyone that has tried them has absolutely loved them.

Peanut Butter Cookies

courtesy of "The Cookie Queen" aka my Mother-in-law

You'll need:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 c. flour, sifted

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Then add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Mix dry ingredients together then add to beaten mixture. Once well combined, roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar, place on parchment lined cookie sheet and press with a fork to make criss-crossing fork marks. Bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. 

 Enjoy! 

No-Bake Cookies

These are one of my absolute favorite cookies. They are sooo yummy and easy to make!

No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

3 tblsp. cocoa

1 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups quick oats

Roll out tinfoil or parchment paper to cover 2 cookie sheets. Set aside.

Mix sugar, cocoa, butter and milk to medium saucepan and bring to full boil for 1 minute. Take off heat and add peanut butter and vanilla, stir until pb is completely melted. Add oats and mix thoroughly. Drop onto cookie sheets with a cookie dough scoop or a spoon. Let cool and enjoy!

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Milano

Milano cookies remind me of my wedding day. It's kind of weird because you would think that of all the things I remember from my wedding day it wouldn't be some random cookies that someone had left in my car from the day before. I had never had a Milano cookie before that day. I feel so deprived. I think the only reason I even tried them that day was because I was absolutely starving after the wedding. We had so many things to do and people to see we got none of our cake or candy (we had a candy table). We were so busy that day. We didn't get to actually eat any of our cake until our 1 year anniversary. We did get the small bites that we ate for pictures but that was nothing. Anyway, back to my amazing discovery, those cookies I had just found in my car that night became my favorite cookies, ever. I didn't know that a store-bought cookie could be so soft and moist with the perfect texture and amazing taste. I love the butteriness of the cookie and the creaminess of the milk chocolate on the inside. I've yet to venture outside of my milk chocolate comfort zone to try other flavors. Maybe someday I'll be able to pull myself away from my milk chocolate love but I just can't bring myself to cheat on them, yet.

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies (or Chocolate Chip)

I wanted to make some oatmeal toffee cookies yesterday and I had some leftover toffee bits and chocolate chips so I decided to make half with the chocolate chips and half with the toffee. I've been on a toffee kick lately, it's just so yummy. I got the urge to make these because I was craving one of my mother-in-law's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She is a cookie queen! You name it, she can make it perfectly! I, on the other hand, am pretty good but no cookie queen. I should have listened to myself and gotten out her recipe and followed it but being the lazy person I am (which I am working on) I decided to just google a recipe. I ended up using the Hershey's recipe and though the cookies are tasty, they are no Mrs. B cookies. Mine came out chewy and flat while hers are always perfectly round and more fluffy than chewy. I was a little disappointed that they weren't like hers so I called her to see what I did wrong. Well, come to find out, the more brown sugar the flatter and chewier the cookie. She usually does half brown sugar, half regular sugar. Next time I'll know to follow the Queen's recipe rather than be lazy. I am still learning new things every single day about baking so bear with me while I make some yummy mistakes along the way.

Hershey's Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits
1 cup MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes(optional)

Note: I left out the coconut flakes and I halved the batter before I added my toffee and chocolate chips. In one half I used about a cup of toffee bits and a cup of chocolate chips in the other.

Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended.

Stir in oats, toffee bits (or chocolate chips) and coconut, if desired, with spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

This recipe is pretty simple and quick. I'll definitely keep it in mind just in case I need some chewy cookies sometime.