Instructions: With Jack Maguire

During the World War II years, American enthusiasm for peanut butter as an economical and delicious foodstuff ran high. It inspired home-front bakers to create a uniquely patriotic, easy-to-prepare, and deliciously reassuring treat: the peanut butter cookie. This book would not be complete without its own bigger and better peanut butter cookie recipe.

Old-fashioned Nutty Peanut Butter Cookies have extra peanut chunks and one fourth more peanut butter than most other recipes allow. They may be old-fashioned in appeal, but theyre crisply, brand-new in taste.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheets with vegetable oil cooking spray, and set aside.

2. In medium bowls combine first 3 ingredients.

3. In large bowl of electric mixer, cream butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar. Beat 3-5 minutes. Add peanut butter and egg, beating until blended, scraping down sides of bowl.

4. At low speed, add flour mixture gradually. Fold in nuts.

5. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press down on each cookie with tines of fork, making a criss-cross.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, or until lightly brown around edges. Turn onto rack to cool. Store in airtight container.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.