kwanzaa star cookies

even though I do not celebrate kwanzaa, I could not resist trying these peanut butter cookies.  makes about 4 dozen cookies.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then lightly whisk and set aside.
2. in a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and peanut butter until blended and creamy, about 45 seconds.  on medium speed, add the sugar and beat until light.  beat in the vanilla, orange juice, and zest until blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.  turn off the mixer, add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until blended.  add the remaining flour and beat until blended.
3. using lightly floured hands, gather the dough into a ball. divide the ball in half and flatten each into a 6 to 8 inch disk.  wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until firm.
4. preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
5. roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick, cut cookies using a star cookie cutter, close together to avoid re-rolling.  place the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.  bake in the middle of the oven until the cookies begin to color, about 22 minutes.  let the cookies firm and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.