Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies

Confession time: I get obsessed very easily. TV shows, internet sites, activities – I get very easily addicted. I can lose hours browsing Pinterest or solving puzzles. I may or may not have watched first four seasons of True Blood in just a few short weeks… Ummm… Anyway…

I also get addicted to books. Which, in my mind, as far as addictions go is not a bad one to have. I find an author that I like and keep reading everything created by him/her. I’ve always loved reading; anything from Orwell’s 1984 to Rowling’s Harry Potter, Stendahl, Dumas, Atwood and many more. If I find a series I like, then it’s even better, and with my discovery of online libraries there’s really no excuse not to read. 

Have you heard of online libraries? It’s really simple, you get your regular library card, then login online using computer, iPhone or iPad, download a couple of applications for reading and start browsing online catalogue. Once you find a book you’d like to borrow, it’s done only with a few clicks and it’s available on your system for up to three weeks. When you finish the book, it’s another couple of clicks to return it. No time to travel to the library to pick the book up, no time to travel to return it, no late fees, no hassle. A-ma-zing!!! 

So, my current obsession is Joanne Fluke who writes very light murder mysteries that are investigated by a baker. Books are peppered with food descriptions and recipes. Some concoctions are too sweet for my taste (really, there’s no need for three cups of sugar in a cookie recipe!), but some are quite nice and interesting. This recipe is from one of the books by Joanne, but with a few changes that happened by accident. Original recipe was for about six dozens of cookies, so I decided to half all the ingredients except I forgot about it in the middle of mixing the dough. Well, resulting cookies were still yummy and delicious, crunchy, peanut-ey (is this a word?) and with a hint of molasses flavour.

Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies

makes 3 dozens

Melted butter – 1 stick
White sugar – 1/2 cup
Brown sugar – 1/2 cup
Vanilla – 1 teaspoon
Molasses – 2 tablespoons
Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – 1/4 teaspoons
Peanut butter – 1/2 cup
Eggs – 1 large
Flour – 1 1/4 cup

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Pour melted butter into a large bowl, add sugars, vanilla, molasses and mix.
• Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and mix well.
• Add peanut butter and mix.
• Add the egg and mix well until smooth.
• Add flour and mix until flour disappears and all the ingredients are blended.
• Scoop the dough using either really small ice-cream scoop or shape the dough into walnut sized balls.
• Place onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper leaving about two inches of space between.
• Flatten the dough with a fork in a traditional crisscross pattern.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes* (Please see note) or until edges start to turn golden.
• Cool on a cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Comments
– My oven needed about 15-18 minutes for cookies, so check the cookies after 10-12 minutes.
– I love this recipe because it doesn’t need softened butter. I don’t have microwave, so it’s a lot easier to melt butter than to soften it.