I guess I must be on a high calorie kick, because yesterday I published our dear friend Jim’s recipe for the most decadent and caloric way to serve spaghetti ever conceived. OK, undoubtedly not the most caloric and decadent recipe at one’s fingertips. But Perfectly Seasoned Spaghetti could certainly be a contender for that dubious honor. But boy oh boy is pasta tasty when prepared as directed in Jim’s recipe.
Speaking of caloric, decadent, and easy to prepare, I came up with this recipe for a different take on peanut butter cookies. I wanted to include peanut butter cookies in the goodie packages that I send to my kids every Christmas. But not the usual peanut butter cookies. I wanted soft cookies which also included a bit of crunch. What I didn’t take into consideration was the fact that some soft cookies do not stay fresh as long as hard cookies. (Think shortbread and biscotti.) Soft cookies pack well, but when kept for several days some can start to harden a bit, which to me is not a desirable attribute in a cookie.
Now I don’t want to scare you off making these cookies. Because these cookies are yummy when fresh. I just feel duty bound to tell you that if longevity in a cookie is what you are after, this is probably not the peanut butter cookie recipe for you. But if you want a really lovely peanut butter cookie to serve for afternoon tea or as a light dessert, these cookies would be perfect. Or if you have a family that can work their way through a batch of cookies in no time at all, by all means give this recipe a try. They really are delicious cookies.
Well, it’s semi-sunny outside. Mr. C. is happily reading his book. Miles is sleeping in the cat bed on Mr. C’s desk. His brother Max is sleeping at the foot of our bed, and I am finishing up this post. In other words, all’s right in our world.
Now if I could only come up with what to serve for dinner………
Peace and love to all.
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. peanuts
1 (10-oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips
Cream the butter and sugars together until soft. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture and beat just until combined. Add the peanuts and peanut butter chips; mix well.
Using a #40 (1½ tablespoons – orchid colored end) ice cream scoop, plop cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (They can be close together at this point because they should spend several hours in the fridge.*) When you bake them place them 2-inches apart.
Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for approximately 13-15 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn color and let sit on the baking pan for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Note: DO NOT OVERBAKE THESE COOKIES. They will not look done when you remove them from the oven. That is exactly how they should look!
And these cookies are best eaten within a couple of days. And believe me, that will not be a problem. The problem will be not devouring them within 24 hours!
* The colder and more solid the butter is, the less the cookie will spread. Plus, flour contains naturally occurring enzymes, which break down as the dough chills, leading to increased browning. The sugar in the dough absorbs the moisture from the flour, causing the cookie to brown and caramelize. Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and also helps to make the cookie dough firmer.