I am a real lover of podcasts. Many times I will listen while I'm on a hike, when I am walking a waterline, or just doing work at home. I enjoy them because they can make me feel so inspired to do more. This is one of the many feelings that I have when I’m listening to the podcast, Wiser Than Me, which was created and is hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The other day my ears perked when she shared her grandmother's Peanut Butter Cookie ingredients and I immediately wanted to make them! I quickly asked for her permission (she has been purchasing our ranch raised meats at our local Farmers' Market for years) and she gave me the go ahead. I must say…these cookies are no joke!

Julia’s Grandma DeeDee's Peanut Butter Cookie recipe puts many cookie recipes to shame. This is not a little dainty cookie, it calls for 6 cups of flour for goodness sake! I love it! It also uses shortening which really makes every bite so flaky and delicious. You really must make this recipe! My family has been devouring them all week!

Makes: 35-40 large cookies
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes (including cooling time)

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cup shortening
• 1½ cups peanut butter (Smooth)
• 6 cups of flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 4 teaspoons baking soda

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
3. In a medium bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda until well combined. Set aside. 
4. In a very large bowl mix (I used a hand mixer) together the granulated sugar, brown sugars and shortening until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add peanut butter and mix again until smooth. 
5. Slowly add the flour mixture a little at a time until well combined.
6. When ingredients are combined, scoop out about 8 cookies per baking sheet. Shape cookies, pat down and press with a fork to make an indentation on the cookie. Twice going one way and twice crossing the other indentations. 
7. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. 

Tip: The indentation of the fork is the classic clue that it is a peanut butter cookie but it also helps flatten the dense cookie dough to make the shape. A peanut butter cookie dough is very dense and does not spread much so you want to make sure it is the shape you like.

Watch here as I make these cookie.

Enjoy,

Elizabeth

Photographs by Anna Pata