Award Winning Peanut Butter Cookies

This adorable cookies are as delicious as they are cute. My son, Brayden and I entered them into his schools annual cookie bake off and they took home the Grand Prize! They are a staple in my annual holiday cookie boxes and every year there are request for extra reindeer in their boxes ;-)

Ingredients:

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 c. packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3c. granulated sugar for rolling

RED Peanut Butter M+M's

Brown Plain M+M's

Chocolate Pretzels

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.

3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into logs. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.

4. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press two pretzels at the top of the cookie, two brown candies and one red peanut butter m+m into the soft cookie . Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Tips:

• At Christmas time they sell bags of red and green peanut butter M+M's. Stock up!

• You can order a single color of M+M online. As there aren't very many brown ones in a standard bag. Reese's Pieces are also a good alternative

• Place the logos on the candies face down so you don't see them

• You can store them up to two weeks in an airtight container.

• Don't over bake.

• At Halloween I swap out the reindeer for spiders. Mini peanut butter cup, melted chocolate and a few candy eyes.