Peanut Butter Maple Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of butter softened (1 stick)

• 3/4 cup pure Vermont maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 1 cup peanut butter, preferably natural chunky peanut butter

• 1-3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  
2. Using mixer, combine butter and syrup until well-mixed and creamy.  Add vanilla extract, egg, and peanut butter and beat until well-mixed and creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Add dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture in several additions, mixing well before adding more.
4. Roll tablespoons of the dough into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  At this point, if you prefer peanut butter cookies with the a crosshatch pattern, press cookies with a fork to create crosshatch.  
5. Bake for 15 minutes and let cool on the sheet for several minutes before transferring to a rack to completely cool.