The Best Peanut Butter Cookie

Directions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to low center position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, baking pwdr, and salt in medium bowl.
2. 2. In bowl of electric mixer or possibly by hand, beat butter till creamy. Add in sugars; beat till fluffy, about 3 min with electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter till fully incorporated, then Large eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mix. Add in grnd peanuts; stir gently till just incorporated.
3. 3. Working with 2 Tbsp. dough at a time (see illustration 1, below), roll into large balls, placing them 2 inches apart on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Following illustration 2, below, press each dough ball with back of dinner fork dipped in cool water to make criss-cross design. Bake till cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 10 to 12 min (they won't look fully baked). Cold cookies on cookie sheet till set, about 4 min, then transfer to wire rack to cold completely.
4. Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an air-tight container, up to 7 days.
5. Suggested Wine: Ad
6. butter, and Large eggs to room temperature makes it easier to blend the ingredients. Be sure to grind the peanuts, since whole, and even minced peanuts tend to slip out of the dough. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 tsp.. Keep finished cookies refrigerated in airtight container. To restore just baked chewiness, wrap a cookie in a sheet of paper towel and microwave for approximately 25 seconds. Cold before serving.