Peanut Butter Cookies

April 10, 2006 at 8:33 pm (Alice Medrich, B plus (3.5 stars, like a lot), Cookies, Dessert)

This is another recipe from Alice Medrich’s cookbook Cookies and Brownies. She says her ideal peanut butter cookie is crunchy, very peanuty, and not too sweet, and that’s a pretty good description of these cookies.

She says it makes about 3 dozen 2 1/4 inch cookies. (I made 30 cookies.)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 8 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, lump free, or 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar with dark brown sugar or 1/2 cup with light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups natural chunky peanut butter (She doesn’t say but I think it should be unsalted)

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour and baking soda together thoroughly with a whisk or fork. Set aside.

2. Using the back of a large spoon in a large bowl or with an electric mixer, mix the butter, the brown and granulated sugars, and salt until smooth and creamy, not fluffy. If your peanut butter is salted reduce the salt appropriately. 1/2 tsp = 1200mg of salt. Add the egg, vanilla, and peanut butter and mix until homogenous. Add the flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, if not 12 hours. Chilling the dough improves the flavor, but if you must mix and bake the cookies immediately, use melted instead of softened butter to boost the flavor, and expect a slightly chewier cookie.

3. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

4. Scoop (slightly more than 1 level Tbs.) and form dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each ball to a thickness of 3/8 inch with a fork, pressing the back of the tines into the dough in two directions. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until colored on top and golden brown underneath. Rotate the sheets from front to back and top to bottom about half through to ensure even baking. Cool cookies completely before stack or storing. May be stored, airtight, for at least two weeks.

Rating: B+