With the exception of home-made bread or an apple pie baking in the oven, one of the most wonderful aromas to come out of the kitchen are that of fresh baked cookies.  Does not matter the kind either.  Although I imagine home-made dog cookies don’t quite cut it…

The smell of buttery, ooey-gooey cookies makes your mouth water instantly at the first whiff.

Here in our household we have a large repertoire of cookie recipes, but we are really partial to a few standby’s that are easy to throw together and bake when we are pressed for time.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies top this list.

What I like to do is make a HUGE batch of dough, then freeze half of the dough on cookie sheets in 1″ balls, when frozen, simply bag them up and store in the freezer.  Then, when we get the urge for some fresh baked cookies without the fuss and mess of making the dough, you just place some frozen dough balls on cookie sheets, thaw and bake.

Simple, fast, knock their socks off with the surprise of just baked cookies.

So what is your favourite cookie?  Anything unique or a family heirloom that you are willing to share? Would love to hear about them!

Here is my recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/3 Cup Un-Salted Butter

1 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter (if you prefer chopped peanuts in your cookies, use chunky)

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 1/3 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

Directions

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and peanut butter, add sugars and beat until well incorporated.  Add vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly.

Shape into 1″ balls and place on greased cookie sheets or parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until golden.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.