Apple Peanut Butter Cookies from Life on the Ridge Side

Hi there! My name is Patty from Life on the Ridge Side. I am the Head Domestic Engineer over at Life on the Ridge Side, which is to say I am a stay at home mom to a wonderful 4 year old daughter and a menagerie of animals including a Great Dane!

I am beyond thrilled to be featured here at Honeybear Lane today. I think Heidi has some of the best tutorials. Her applique how-to is a fantastic resource if you want to learn how to do this technique yourself. It’s how I learned!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Apple Peanut Butter Cookies. I start to crave them as soon as the weather turns crisp and the leaves start turning. They just scream FALL! They are also super easy to make and you probably have all the ingredients right there in your pantry! Enjoy!

If you ever wondered what fall tasted like, well, this cookie is it. You HAVE to make this recipe, that is unless you are one of those unfortunate souls with a peanut allergy in which case you’ll have to resist.

These cookies are good.
Really good.
These have been dubbed by my family as THE PERFECT FALL COOKIES. I tend to agree. They are that good. But I think I have mentioned that. They are technically called Apple Peanut Butter Cookies but I’m not sure that name denotes how freaking good they are.
What you will need:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup grated peeled apple

1. In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar until they are light and fluffy then add in the vanilla and egg.

See, light and fluffy with an egg and vanilla.

*As a side note, our Great Dane Scooby Doo has a nose for peanut butter. If he so much as hears the peanut butter jar open he is in the kitchen immediately. Here he is shortly after opening the jar wondering where his portion is:

Do I smell peanut butter?

2. After kicking the dog out of the kitchen and mixing in the egg and vanilla, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then gradually add them to the creamed mixture and mix well. 3. Stir in the grated apple. You’ll be left with a wonderfully crumbly peanut butter cookie dough. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased or Silpat lined baking sheet.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. And brace yourself for the taste of fall!

Apple Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup grated peeled apple

Cream the shortening, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the grated apple.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls on a greased or Silpat lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 dozen.