Peanut Butter Buttons

When I first saw these button cookies on Bakeralla I sort of freaked out.  I LOVE buttons.  I knew I had to make them and luckily I had the perfect occasion.  We were having a special day to honor my best gal-pal at work and she loves buttons and crafty things as much as I do.

These cookies are actually really easy to make.  Bakerella uses a peanut butter cookie mix, but I used my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe.  It’s actually my favorite cookie recipe-period.  Even if you don’t have any interest in making button shaped cookies I recommend every peanut butter cookie fan tries this recipe.  If you don’t like peanut butter cookies you might want to try them too.  They’ve been known to make converts.

Bakerella gives very perfect instructions on how to make these cute-as-a-button cookies (I couldn’t resist) here.  The only thing I have to add is that when she recommends that you make them in small batches so you have time to cut out all of the holes before the cookies cool, she’s not kidding.  You have to work fast so bake the cookies about a dozen at a time.

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion Cookbook

This recipe makes 4 dozen regular cookies.  It would make about 8 dozen buttons.  If you’re just planning on making the buttons I would halve the recipe.

1 cup vegetable shortening (I didn’t have enough so I used 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup peanut butter (Do not use natural peanut butter.  The dough will be too crumbly.  Use Skippy or Jiff)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

(These directions are for making regular, old fashioned peanut butter cookies)

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large bowl, cream together shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter.  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the peanut butter mixture to combine.

Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and press down with a fork, making a crisscross design.  Dip the fork in sugar between cookies.  It will keep the fork from sticking and give the cookies a bit of a sugary crust on the top. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and cook on a wire rack.  After 10 minutes you might not think the cookies are done.  If your oven temperature is accurate they probably are.  They are VERY soft when the come out of the oven.  As they cool they harden into a wonderful chewy cookie.