PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Peanut Butter Cookies image

This version of the childhood favorite was developed by the gang at America's Test Kitchen and originally published in Cook's Illustrated magazine back in 1998. We brought it to The Times when we profiled Christopher Kimball, then the grand poobah of America's Test Kitchen, in 2009. It calls for extra crunchy peanut butter, plus a full cup of roasted salted peanuts, which results in a super crunchy and delightfully salty-sweet treat.

Provided by Kim Severson

Categories dessert

Time 35m

Yield 4 dozen cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps:

Adjust oven rack to low center position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place peanuts in a food processor and pulse until the texture of bread crumbs. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping sides as necessary. Then beat in crunchy peanut butter until fully incorporated, followed by eggs and vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Fold in ground peanuts just until incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop dough onto sheet in spoonfuls a little bigger than a golf ball, about two inches apart. Dip a fork in cold water and then press the back into dough, repeating to make a crisscross.
Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 11 to 12 minutes. They will not look completely baked. Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 145, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 8 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 72 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams