Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from Julia Moskin by Blue Heron Kitchen

For some, this time of year is all about cookies. For me, all year is about cookies. This recipe is credited back to NYC’s City Bakery. Moskin calls for cultured butter. I used a combination of cultured butter and Plugra. I don’t know how many people can get their hands on or afford cultured butter, but if you can, try them with it.

For those who have nut allergies, try those “it’s not really peanut butter” spreads. Or try sunflower butter. I don’t know if they’ll be as good, but it couldn’t hurt.

Maldon brand salt is worth its salt. It’s becoming more available in the American market and if you can snag a box, do. I saw it in a local Asian market “hMart”! Thanks to my son, who lived for many years in the UK, I’ve hoarded accumulated several boxes. There are undoubtedly other flake salts on the market.

When pastry chef, Pichet Ong judged Moskin and Severson’s cookie bake-off, these gems were one of the two winners.

Pour a glass of milk and dunk.

Here's a peanut butter fan who prefers it straight from the jar with ice water...

with a smile and a song,

jane

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup/228 grams/2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature, cultured butter if you can find it or can spare the extra dime

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar

¾ cup (packed)/150 grams light brown sugar

1 heaping tsp./6 grams kosher salt

2 cups/510 grams unsweetened peanut butter, creamy or chunky
(a 1 pound jar plus 53 grams of any peanut butter you have in the              house ..I used “Skippy”!)

2 eggs, size large, room temperature

2 cups/250 grams all-purpose flour

Flaky sea salt (Maldon is perfect!) or Kosher salt, if you don’t have fancy stuff; and coarse (Turbinado is great!) or granulated sugar for sprinkling

Procedure:

Heat oven to 350º F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy - about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs and beat until combined.

Add the peanut butter and mix. (Don’t bother to mix the separated oil – just dump it all in.)

Whisk in the heaping tsp. of salt to the flour and dump in the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 tablespoon of flakey salt.

Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 teaspoons capacity), scoop dough onto prepared pans. The tops will be rounded but craggy. The cookies won’t spread much or change shape when they bake, so they can be placed quite close together, but do leave room for air circulation so they can turn golden brown.

Sprinkle each cookie lightly with sugar-salt mixture, getting it into the nooks and crannies.

OR .. One very cool variation on these is to sprinkle the sugar/salt ‘topping’ on a sheet of parchment and create a ‘roll’ for slice and bake, 

coating the outside with the topping, not unlike a sablé. Refrigerate and pull these out when you’re ready, slice about 1/2” thick and adjust baking time as needed. And .. wow! (I think I like these best!)

Bake 12 to 17 minutes, or until cookies are set and golden-brown. When cooled, removed from baking sheets and finish cooling on racks. Store in airtight containers, separated by parchment paper. N.B. These are delicate and crumbly, so don’t pack them too tightly.

Yield: approx. 6 ½ dozen