Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. creamy or chunk peanut butter

1 c. brown sugar

½ c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ½ c. quick or old-fashioned oats

1 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

⅛ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350º.  In mixer bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars; blend in eggs and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing well.  Shape dough to form 1-inch balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with fork (or use the “waffle” side of a meat tenderizer) dipped in sugar to form crisscross pattern.  Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire cooling rack.

Optional:  Melt about 4 ounces of chocolate and dip the top half of each cookie.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

On my very first post way back in May, I wrote about the 7 F's. Frugal is one of them! This cookie is definitely an inexpensive, yet lovely cookie to make and give for Christmas.

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter
1 c. peanut butter (I like creamy-style best)
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
about 1/2 pound chocolate coating

Cream butter, shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Add eggs; beat well. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate dough about 1 hour.

Form into balls about the size of a walnut. Flatten with a fork dipped in flour or use the "waffle" pattern on a meat tenderizer to flatten. Bake 350 for about 15 minutes. Cool on pan about 5 minutes; finish cooling on wire rack.

Melt chocolate over double boiler. Dip half of the cookie; dry on wire racks.