I've mentioned before my love of peanut butter cookies, and shared them a few years ago.  Growing up, anytime we went to visit my Grandma, she always had a big batch of peanut butter cookies and homemade bread waiting for us, as well as an extra bag "hiding" in the freezer.

As much as I love peanut butter cookies, for whatever reason, I don't make them very often.  Recently though, I was reading a book where the protagonist made a batch of peanut butter cookies and I couldn't get them out of my mind!  In fact, I decided to swap out another cookie I was planning to make for Day 10, in order to revisit and improve my peanut butter cookie recipe.  This just might be my new favorite cookie recipe.  I've had to hide them away so I don't eat them all before anyone else gets a taste!

Since I wasn't originally planning to make these cookies, I ran out of creamy peanut butter half-way through, and ended up using a half and half mix of creamy and crunchy.  I love how it turned out, but they would be just as great with all creamy.  (They might have a harder time sticking together using only crunchy though.)  And if you don't feel like dipping them in chocolate, they're amazing on their own as well.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Chocolate Glaze

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp shortening
• sprinkles, crushed peanuts, etc (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and soda.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars.  Add peanut butter, and mix another 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

Roll the dough into Tablespoon-sized balls and roll in the granulated sugar.  Dough may seem a bit crumbly, but should come together easily in your hand.  Space about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Using a fork, gently press into dough ball twice, to create the traditional crosshatched pattern.

Bake 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool 5-10 minutes on baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

When cookies are completely cool, melt chocolate chips with shortening in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water.

Gently dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate.  Dip into a small bowl  of sprinkles or crushed nuts if desired.  Set on a piece of parchment paper and allow to cool and set.

Makes about amazingly delicious 30 cookies.