Looking for a bit of help with baking peanut butter cookies please

[rockhollow]

Hello all:

I'm looking for some wise words of wisdom to help me with my peanut butter cookies.
I have a small coffee shop and bake assorted goodies to serve with our coffee.
I love peanut butter cookies and want to start baking them.

I am using a standard recipe
1 cup margarine - 1 cup peanut butter - 1 cup white sugar - 1 cup brown sugar - 2 eggs -vanilla - 1 tsp baking soda - 2 1/2 cups flour. Roll into balls - lightly squish a bit with a fork.
Bake 375 - 10 minutes.
Here's my problem - they seem to spread lots during cooking and come out too thin and big. You can hardly see the fork marks on the top.
Ideally, I want smaller,thicker cookies that you can still see the fork marks in the top.
I used to always go to my mother for any cooking questions, but have recently lost her, and need help.
thanks - look forward to some suggestions and help.
Denise

 

[jabbur]

I find that cookies tend to do that if the margarine has a high percentage of oil. I don't have that problem using real butter. When I use real butter in cookies, the flavor is better as well as the texture. The peanut butter cookies stay pretty much the way you squish them. If you want to use margarine, I've had fairly good luck with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter brand sticks but there will still be a bit of a spread. HTH

 

[Wyogal]

or try shortening

 

[rockhollow]

thank you for the replies.
I did wonder about the butter vs margarine thing. It was a cost thing with using margarine - here where I live butter is really close to $5.00 a lb.
I will try the shortening thing - (like Crisco?) - thanks
Denise

 

[Scotch]

Try my mom's recipe -- they're the best I've ever had:

MOM’S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Annie Collins, 1911 – 1970

Mix:
½ cup shortening (Crisco)
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
1 egg

Beat shortening, peanut butter, and sugars in mixer until
creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes; add egg and beat until well
incorporated,

Sift Together:
1 cup sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Add about ½ the flour mixture to the creamed butter and
sugar mixture; mix on low speed until just incorporated; add
remaining flour and mix until it is just incorporated.

Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut (about ¾
ounce each); flatten with a fork dipped in flour (make
crisscross marks on each cookie with the tines of the fork).

Bake 8 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Scothch, those are beautiful cookies! My recipe for peanut butter cookies also calls for shortening, so Denise, I would use Scotch's mom's recipe!

 

[MexicoKaren]

One more thing, to make your cookies scrumptious: before I flatten them, I always roll the ball of dough in granulated sugar. Makes them SO tasty.

 

[rockhollow]

thank you so much for the tips. The picture of the cookies look just exactly what I want - I will sure try the recipe.
I put grape jelly in between them - peanut butter and jelly cookies - they are a great sellers - I have to keep baking more every day.
thank you again
Denise

 

[ChefJune]

I find that if I chill the dough well before forming and baking cookies, they hold their shape better, regardless of the fat used in the recipe.

 

[Alix]

Ditto what ChefJune said. If you use margarine the flavor is a bit nicer than with the shortening (IMO) and all you need to do is chill the dough a bit. Good luck, post back and let us know what you tried.

 

[rockhollow]

Hello again:
I'm back from work with excellent results.
Hey Scotch, I want to also include an image of my cookies baked with your mom's recipe. I just need a bit of help. I uploaded ( it that's the correct term?) to my photobucket account. In the body of this message screen do I type the link? I have done it before, but just can't remember how.
With the image I will tell all the exciting news!
thank you
Denise

 

[rockhollow]

testing image

 

[rockhollow]

If I would have just took a minute to read the FAQ, I can just get the image from my own computer - anyways....

I used scotch's mom's recipe and also MexicoKaren's idea to roll the balls in sugar before squishing with the fork.

Well they are just the perfect cookies!!! The dough using Scotch's recipe was so nice and firm it didn't need to chill - just rolled and squished and baked. I'm so happy with these cookies.
I made a batch this morning and needed to make another this afternoon - how delightful they tasted - I of course had to try a few myself (quality control I call it).
thanks for the great help all!!!

 

[MexicoKaren]

Ah, perfect cookies! Congrats!

 

[Scotch]

Excellent!

Now, about the royalties.... ;-)

 

[Mary Microwave]

I've been meaning to find a good recipe and make some of these! Wonderful. Do you think it would come out well using crunchy PB? What about adding some peanuts? What type would work best? (Probably not honey dry roasted) Would you add the nuts to the dough or just press a few into each cookie after "forking" flat?

 

[Marko]

You can also cut your butter with shortening to lower the cost and still have a butter flavor. Commercial bakeries do this a lot.

 

[Andy M.]

You can also cut your butter with shortening to lower the cost and still have a butter flavor. Commercial bakeries do this a lot.

In fact, you can buy butter flavored shortening.
Also, the chilling trick works.

 

[Scotch]

I've been meaning to find a good recipe and make some of these! Wonderful. Do you think it would come out well using crunchy PB? What about adding some peanuts? What type would work best? (Probably not honey dry roasted) Would you add the nuts to the dough or just press a few into each cookie after "forking" flat?

I always use Jif Extra Crunchy. You can see the peanut chunks in the photo I posted. I don't think it needs more peanut pieces, but it wouldn't hurt.

 

[Scotch]

In fact, you can buy butter flavored shortening.
Also, the chilling trick works.

I'm prejudiced, obviously, but I really don't think butter or butter-flavored shortening would improve these cookies one bit. They have a distinct peanut flavor with what seems to me to be a hint of honey, and they're crisp but light in texture.