Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies

5 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups butter, room temp

1/2 cup shortening, room temp

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

16 oz peanut butter 

4 oz (1 stick) butter, room temp

1/4 cup honey

Optional Home Addition: 1 (10 oz) bag Mini Reese's Pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix together 16 oz. peanut butter, 1 stick butter and 1/4 cup honey, then set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. 

In a standing mixer or large bowl, cream the 1 1/2 cups of butter, the shortening and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each one, then add the vanilla and the peanut butter mixture. Add the flour mixture by the cupful and beat at low speed until fully mixed.

Add  Reese's Pieces now, if desired.

Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. I used a 2 inch scoop to make these cookies, so they're a good size, but not huge. Place about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet. Very important!! BAKE FOR 11 MINUTES ONLY! Any more than that, and they'll be overdone. The cookies will still be pale, maybe just a touch golden brown on the bottom edges. As long as your oven is running at the correct temp, this is all the time the cookies need. Remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a cooling rack using a spatula. Even though they’ll look doughy and soft, they’ll set up perfectly, I promise! Let cool completely (yeah, right!) and then store in an airtight container.