Peanut Butter Mouse Cookies {Recipe}

Cookies are delicious! I love them, any kind really, but cookies that are fun to make are definitely the best. My daughter loves to help me bake, so finding recipes that she can really participate with are great. So, when I found this recipe for Peanut Butter Mice Cookies in an old Taste of Home magazine, I was really excited to get started.

Not only are these cookies incredibly cute and fun to make, they are absolutely delicious too. Peanut butter with chocolate and candy accents... how could you go wrong!

 

Can't Get Started Without:

 

 

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter, softened (no substitutes)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. peanut halves

2 tbsp. M&M miniature baking bits

4 tsp. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

shoestring licorice cut into 2" pieces

(if you want your mice to coincide with the current holiday, you can add candy pieces or icing in any colour; ie. small pieces of green and red  candied cherries to look like holly for Christmas)

 

 

 

 

To begin, cream together your peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Next, beat in your egg and vanilla. In a seperate bowl, combine your flour and baking soda. Slowly add it to the creamed mixture. 

 



 Jaydn helping to stir the flour and baking soda together.

 

 

When you've got your dough all mixed up, it is best to throw it into the fridge for about an hour to make it easier to work with. Hmm, what to do with your hour of waiting you ask... Well, you could tidy up your cookie mess, vacuum, do some laundry, etc. Or you could do what I do, and relax.... Maybe catch up on a favourite TV show and munch on all the M&M's, chocolate chips and peanuts that are out. :)

 

 

This batter is all ready to head into the fridge.

 

 

Now, that your dough is nice and cold, and your tummy is happily full, you can get started on the 'fun' aspect of these cookies and turn that delicious dough into cute little mice. Firstly, start by rolling your dough into 1" balls. Place them about 2" apart on your cookie sheet as these cookies really spread out.

Next pinch the ball at one end to give the mouse a nose. Now, is the time to get creative and give your mice some personality. This is the time when your little one can really get involved. Jaydn loved decorating the mice and making each one an individual. Start by placing two peanut halves to the top of the ball to create mouse ears. The chocolate chips come next for the eyes (place the tips of the chocolate chips into the batter for a better look). Finally, add your M&M's to give your mice noses. Jaydn thought it was fun to decide which colour of nose each mouse should get.

 

 



 



 Such concentration decorating her mice.

 

 

Now that all of your mice are 'made', it is time to bake them. In an oven preheated to 350 degrees, bake them for 10-12 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown colour. 

 

 

These little mice are ready for the oven. 

 

 

I used the time while the mice were baking to cut the licorice into pieces. These will be the finishing touches on the mice and give them their tails.

 

 

 

As soon as your mice come out of the oven, get them onto a cooling rack and get your 'tails' ready. While the cookies are still warm, gently insert one licorice piece into the back of each one.

 

 

 

 

Your cookie mice are now complete. Grab a glass of cold milk and dig in!!

 

 



Ingredients:

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter, softened (no substitutes)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. peanut halves

2 tbsp. M&M miniature baking bits

4 tsp. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

shoestring licorice cut into 2" pieces

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar.
2. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
5. Roll the dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets.
6. Pinch each ball at one end to taper. Insert two peanut halves in center of each ball for ears.
7. Add one M&M baking bit for the nose and two chocolate chips for eyes.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until set.
9. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Gently insert one licorice piece into each warm cookie for a tail.
Yield: about 5 dozen



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