Peanut butter cookies, three ways

Whisk the flour, kosher salt and baking soda together.

In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the soft butter, both sugars and the well-stirred peanut butter on low to combine, then higher until pale and light but not super fluffy; scrape down.

Add the eggs one at a time, then a dash of vanilla paste.

Add all the dry ingredients at once; pulse the mixer on low to avoid flinging flour, then mix to a smooth, very soft, almost batter-like dough.

Scrape the bowl very well and fold by hand until uniform, with no shiny streaks of unincorporated butter.

Spread about half the dough into a flat block or disc and chill.

Form the other half into a log on parchment: fold the parchment over, press a straight edge against it at an angle to compact the dough into a cylinder, roll it up, then roll tightly in plastic and twist the ends; flatten the ends and chill standing on end.

Classic: weigh one-ounce portions of chilled dough, roll into balls, roll in granulated sugar, set on a baking sheet and press a crosshatch with the tines of a fork.

Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the centre.

Variation, thumbprint: roll and sugar the same way, then make a divot in the centre with a rounded half-teaspoon measure.

Bake at 350F until golden brown and firm at the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Re-form the thumbprint depressions with the back of a spoon and fill the warm cookies with about a teaspoon of jam each.

Variation, linzer: unwrap the log, roll it as you slice to keep it round, and cut rounds about a quarter inch thick; chill briefly if it gets too soft.

Sprinkle all the rounds with granulated sugar; punch a centre circle from half of them, keeping the little cut-outs to bake as mini bites.

Bake about 10 minutes, in the centre; they bake faster because they are thinner.

When cool, turn the bottoms upside down, spread a thin layer of jam on the side that was on the sheet, and top with a cut-out round.