1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, based on preference)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional, but adds great flavor)

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Start by combining peanut butter and sugar until they're well blended. Add in egg, baking soda, and vanilla extract, if using. Stir everything together until you have a uniform dough.

Shape cookies. Use a spoon to scoop out dough, and then roll it into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Place these balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a bit of space between each for spreading.

Tip: For a traditional peanut butter cookie look, flatten each ball with the back of a fork, making a crisscross pattern.

Bake at 350°F cookies for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. The cookies will still be soft but will firm up as they cool.

Cool the cookies. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Submitted by: Owva