St. Patrick’s Day Peanut Butter Cookies

Note the dough requires at least 2 hours of refrigeration time.

In a medium-sized bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl add sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening and butter. Beat until well combined. Add vanilla and maple syrup and beat in 1 egg at a time until combined. Add the green food coloring and beat until mixed in well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until combined.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.

Heat oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Note you do not have to use parchment paper, but I like to when I bake.

Shape dough into 1¼-inch balls. Place them about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet (9 cookies per baking sheet). Flatten them in a criss-cross pattern with a fork dipped into sugar. Be sure to refrigerate the dough in between baking batches of cookies.

Bake in the oven for 8 minutes for a soft center and lightly golden on the bottom or 9 minutes for a crispy cookie that is lightly golden on top. Remove from oven. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then place on a cooling rack.