Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I started out this holiday season with good intentions with this cookie but soon fizzled out and I have not done a lot of baking so far.  I put this cookie together using a couple of standard recipes.  I think they are worthy of staying in my good cookie recipes.

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

2 sticks butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of your mixer add butter, both sugars, and peanut butter.  Mix on medium spead until light and fluffy -- about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time until mixed in well.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Combine all dry ingredients together and add slowly to wet mixture.  Fold in peanut butter chips.  Place tablespoons of dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press down just a little.  Bake at 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Pecan Pie Cookies

I'm always looking for new cookie recipes.  We had a good crop of pecans this year and I was lucky enough to be able to go to my son's friend's property and pick up pecans.  I found this recipe on Pinterest which took me to this blog. These cookies are soft instead of crispy and the filling is similar to pecan pie. Following is the way I made them.

PECAN PIE COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, continue beating until egg is fully incorporated and mixture is once again smooth and fluffy.
Add baking powder and flour, continue beating until mixture is uniform, with everything incorporated. Set dough aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix pecans and brown sugar. Add in heavy cream and vanilla, mix until well combined.
Roll cookie dough into balls that are about 1.25″ in diameter, and place them on cookie sheets – leave about 2″ between the cookies.
Gently use thumb to press down in the middle of each cookie, making an indentation. Roll thumb slightly to stretch the indentation out a little. Fill each indentation with about 1 tsp of pecan filling
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.