Fall Cookies

   Here in East Tennessee we woke to a beautiful and rainy fall Saturday.  I had no choice but to enter into the autumn baking season!  I know that there are tons of sexy recipes floating around Pinterest and Facebook that call for pumpkins, apples, and cranberries.  I will get to those soon enough in my kitchen, but my first day of fall baking always and only includes gingersnaps and peanut butter cookies.    I know that neither of these items probably seem exclusive to fall to many of you and to be honest, they really don't to me either.  I only know that for some reason they did to my grandmother.  As soon as she felt the weather began to get colder, she would bake a batch of each of these cookies.  Along with about a thousand other things I wish I could ask her now, I regret never asking her what made these seem so fall-like to her.

  The two types of cookies don't even really go together to me and I have always been puzzled as to why she chose to bake both of them on the same day.  I think I may have solved the mystery today!  Ma-ma used the Betty Crocker Cooky Book for both of these cookie recipes and I do, as well.  Mine is the facsimile edition which just means it was made to look like the older version.

  As I was looking for the peanut butter cookie recipe today, I stumbled on this picture:

   I found myself wondering if perhaps one day, years ago, my grandmother saw this page and decided to make both kinds of cookies. I feel certain she voted not to make the candy cane ones because that would have been entirely seasonally inappropriate!

  Late in the afternoon today, my kitchen was filled with the smell of peanut butter and molasses.  While I will never be able to make my cookies as tiny and beautiful as my grandmother did, I still celebrate the arrival of fall with these cookies!  Here are both cookie recipes from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book:

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. Crisco
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light browned sugar (packed
1 egg

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (I always use White Lily)
1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt

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

In a large mixing bowl set on medium, beat butter, Crisco, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and egg until light and fluffy.

Turn mixer to lowest speed and slowly add in the flour mixture.  Mix just until combined.

Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place on baking sheet.

Dip fork into sugar and press twice to make a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set.


Molasses Crinkles

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. Crisco
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses

2 1/4 c. flour (I only and always use White Lily)
2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon ( I absolutely LOVE the Vietnamese Cinnamon from King Arthur flour in all my recipes)
1 t. ginger

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.  Set aside.

In a large bowl set on medium, beat together butter, Crisco, brown sugar, egg, and molasses.  Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture.  Mix just until combined.

Chill in refrigerator for one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls.  Roll balls in granulated sugar and place on baking sheets.  Using a small glass, press the bottom of the glass on the tops of the cookies to flatten before baking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.