Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies
These salty-sweet cookies are chewy and intense, with a double dose of flavor from the honey-roasted peanut flour--a thirty-second project that keeps them tender and rich. They're one of those rare cookies that improve with age, making them one of my favorite options for cookie jars and care packages alike.
Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 172kcal
Ingredients
- 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour Gold Medal, 1 cup
- 6 ounces salted honey-roasted peanuts 1 1/4 cups
- 10 ounces creamy peanut butter 1 1/4 cups
- 1 stick unsalted butter soft but cool--about 65℉, 4 ounces
- 10 ounces granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt half as much if iodized
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg straight from fridge, well beaten
- 3 tablespoons milk (any percentage will do), 1.5 ounces
Instructions
Process peanut flour
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Sift flour into the bowl of a food processor (if using a cup measure, spoon into the cup and level with a knife before sifting).
- Add peanuts and pulse until fine - almost like flour, about 1 minute.
Prepare the dough
- Combine peanut butter, butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Mix on low speed to moisten, then increase to medium and beat until soft and light, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer running, add the beaten egg in 2 additions, mixing until each portion is well incorporated.
- Reduce speed to low and add the peanut flour, followed by the milk, mixing to form a very soft dough.
Portion and bake
- Divide into thirty 1 1/4-ounce (2 1/4-tablespoon) portions using a #30 portion scoop.
- Arrange on a parchment-lined aluminum baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them.
- Bake until the edges are firm and just barely beginning to brown but the cookies are still puffed and steamy in the middle about, 17-18 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet until the crumb is set, about 10 minutes.
- Enjoy warm, or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Notes
Mix it up!
Coconut White Chocolate: This variation adds the nutty, chewy texture of coconut to the already nutty cookies, along with pockets of creamy white chocolate. Simply stir 6 ounces (2 cups) sweetened shredded coconut and 6 ounces (1 cup) finely chopped white chocolate into the finished dough.
E.T. Cookies: Back in the 1980s, our local supermarket sold peanut butter cookies with Reese's Pieces to cash in on the popularity of America's favorite extraterrestrial. When I'm craving that nostalgic combination, I stir one 10-ounce bag (1 1/3 cups) Reese's Pieces into the dough. Portion and bake as directed.
PB&J: Okay, so there's no actual J in this variation, but chewy dried cherries add a sweet-tart flavor reminiscent of that childhood classic. Stir about 6 ounces (1 cup) dried cherries into the dough.
Snickerdoodle Style: The chewy/crisp dynamic of a peanut butter cookie reminds me of Snickerdoodles, a vibe you can play up by rolling the portioned dough into 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of Vanilla Bean Sugar Sprinkle, one of the Alternative Snickerdoodle Sprinkles on page 46 (Bravetart). Otherwise, bake as directed.
Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with 1 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup) oat flour, 1 ounce (1/4 cup) coconut flour, and 1/2 ounce (2 tablespoons) tapioca flour or arrowroot.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg