Peanut Butter Maple Cookies

Yields 16 to 24 cookies, depending on size.

1/2 cup of butter softened (1 stick)
3/4 cup 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

Preheat oven to 375°F.  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.

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.

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.  Bake for 15 minutes and let cool on the sheet for several minutes before transferring to a rack to completely cool.