Easy Peanut Butter Cookies - Small Recipe with Biscuit Mix

Here’s a recipe from the cooking leaflet "Eagle Brand Classic Recipes 2003".    I reduced the recipe to make just a quarter of the recipe, using the small, quarter-can jars of condensed milk that I keep in my kitchen freezer for recipes like ice cream, fudge and cookies in smaller amounts.  This recipe included several variations, and I tried the Jam and Chocolate Chip variations as well as basic peanut butter cookies because that is what I had on hand.  We thought the basic recipe was very good, and the extras are interesting but not necessary. 

I did use mini chips, and also “Natural” peanut butter, that will separate at room temperature, basically peanuts and salt.  

I used my Homemade Lard Biscuit Mix made from a Martha White cookbook recipe, original Bisquick is what was intended in the recipe.  For a quarter can of milk, simply weigh it out into 4 small containers, cover and freeze.  I use 4 ounce canning jars.

We ate them all up…they are not as rich as some peanut butter cookies, but they eliminated measuring out things like salt, baking powder, sugar, etc., and they were fine with a cup of coffee. 

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies - small recipe  

   3 1/2   ounces  sweetened condensed milk

  2           tablespoons  peanut butter

  1           large  egg yolk

     1/4    teaspoon  vanilla extract

  2 1/2    ounces  Lard Biscuit Mix -- 1/2 cup

                Sugar for topping

     1/4     cup  extras - optional  (chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, raisins or coconut)

 In a mixing bowl, beat condensed milk, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Add biscuit mix, mix well.  Chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Shape dough in 1" balls.  Roll tops in sugar.  Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets.  (I used a #100 scoop).

Flatten with a fork in a crisscross pattern.  Bake 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned (do not overbake).  Cool.  Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Any-way-you-like 'em cookies:  stir in 1/4 cup chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, raisins or flaked coconut into dough and proceed as directed.

Peanut butter and jelly gems:  instead of flattening balls of dough, press in thumbprint, fill with jelly, jam or preserves, and bake as directed.

Yield:  "12”

Martha White Biscuit Mix

                        1 QUART MIX

  1           pound self-rising flour -- sift first (4 cups)

  4          ounces  lard or shortening -- 1/2 cup

Cut shortening into flour with pastry blender or food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature (If using shortening).  Refrigerate if using lard.

Mix will keep well up to 4 months on the shelf if using shortening or in the refrigerator if using lard. 

Recipe weighs 20 ounces; 1 cup recipe weighs 5 ounces.