Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies (With Variations)

Source, Southern Living/Jan 07. If you like a sweeter cookie then increase the sugar to 1 cup.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  cup  smooth peanut butter
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  egg
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  maple extract (or use vanilla)

• VARIATIONS

•  semi-sweet chocolate chips
•  chocolate-covered toffee bits
•  chopped peanuts
• 4 (1 ounce)  semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl stir together peanut butter with sugar, egg and vanilla until well combined.
2. Shape into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets, then gently flatten with the tines of the fork.
3. Bake 325 for 15 minutes or until golden brown; remove to wire racks to cool.
4. FOR VARIATIONS; press 1 cup of either chocolate chips, toffee bits or chopped peanuts on top of the prepared cookie dough, then bake as directed.
5. Or another variation for chocolate peanut butter cookies is; divide the peanut butter cookie dough in half; stir in half of the the melted baking squares into each half of the peanut butter cookie dough, then mix until combined, bake as directed.