Just One More Cookie!

I thought I was finished with holiday baking and then this happened.  You can see on the recipe card it says "Mrs. Buckman's Peanut Butter Cookies".  I had not made these in years.  I was talking to my sister and asking her a question about our home town and the neighbors who lived in the other half of the "double block" company home where we grew up.  She mentioned Mrs. Buckman and I realized that the Buckmans moved before I was born.  Then my sister said "remember we always made her peanut butter cookies"?   That was all it took.  I did remember my mother making them and knew I had a jar of peanut butter in the pantry....so just one more cookie!

Here is the recipe - 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup butter or margarine - I used Smart Balance

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup of peanut butter

2 eggs

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

Mix all ingredients well and then chill.  Roll dough into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet - I used silicone mats.

With a fork make a cross hatch on each ball, flattening it down slightly.  Sprinkle sugar on each cookie - I used red and green for Christmas.  Bake until golden brown - about 10 minutes.

I used creamy peanut butter, but I think you could use chunky if you prefer.

Cream the sugar, margarine together.

Add the eggs and beat well.

A teaspoon of vanilla...I don't measure - I just guess!

I used whole wheat flour to make them a little bit healthy!

Scrape the bowl and make sure everything is well mixed.

I folded the dough onto plastic wrap and covered it well.

Placed it in the refrigerator to chill - I waited overnight.

And then, I forgot to take photos of rolling the dough into balls, making the cross hatches on them, and John - continuing his sprinkle duty - putting on the colored sugar.

But then I remembered I posted about these when I made them for Halloween back in 2020 - and there are photos there showing how to form the cookies.  You can check it out here.

I did remember to take a photo of the finished product...and I don't recall exactly how many cookies the recipe made.

But, in case we don't eat them all for the holidays, John used some multi-colored sprinkles, too.  I put all my cookies in the freezer when I make them.  That way I can make them earlier in December and pull them out when I need them.  The ones that are not red and green will be good - if we don't eat them all - into January.

After this last batch of cookies was completed I lined up all the containers on the counter...

made a pile of kisses, too.  I just love those Santa hat kisses!

I had a list of neighbors I wanted to gift with cookies, so I purchased holiday treat bags from Dollar Tree and went down the line of cookies - and kisses - filling each bag.  John finished the assembly line by tying the bags with red ribbon and adding a gift tag.

You might remember we live in an apartment in a senior living community - so we have quite a few friends and neighbors.   I love these tags I printed from On Sutton Place blog - thanks, Ann!

Then we loaded up our basket and went out on Elf Duty!  Since we delivered the treats yesterday we have had so many compliments on the cookies.  And surprisingly, the most comments about the Almond Joy cookies I posted in my last post!   Usually, people love the snow people - but today several people are loving the Almond Joy cookies and asking for the recipe!

Delivering the cookies really put us in the holiday spirit.  Now we are all set to enjoy Christmas and our traditional Easter European Holy Supper on Christmas Eve.   Then Christmas Dinner at one of our favorite restaurants here at Willow Valley ( if you visit Willow Valley website, watch for our photo on the first page!) - and dinner with friends the day after Christmas. Then it's packing time as we head out on a Viking cruise to the Panama Canal and Central America.  We will be cruising for New Year's Eve and also on our 49th (!) Anniversary.   So, this will be my last blog post of the 2025 - thank you to everyone who visited, commented, gave me ideas and suggestions - and let me know when I messed up, too!   I am so grateful to this community and the blog friends I have made!  Wishing everyone joy, peace, love, and good health - in the New Year and always!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!