Peanut Butter Cookies Done Right

January 19, 2010

Cookie Collage

On a cookie plate, the first one I will go for is the chocolate chip and the last one is the peanut butter.  Why?  I don’t think I’ve ever had a good peanut butter cookie.  They tend to be dry and crumbly and the flavor is pretty one note.  I find at the end of eating one that my tongue kind of hurts.  Just not enough variety of flavor for me in that cookie.

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So why did I make these?  First of all, the milk chocolate chunk part of the recipe just screamed at me.  Then I noticed that they have a lot of peanut butter and not much flour which means that dry problem would most likely be taken care of.  Plus, in the header of the recipe, the authors say, “This is not your ordinary peanut butter cookie.  It is, in our humble opinion, the only peanut butter cookie.”  How could you not accept that challenge?  And so, I made them.  And so, now I have to deal with the temptation of having them in my house.  It’s not just the chocolate that makes these so much better than other peanut butter cookies I have had.  It is the cookie itself – moist but crisp in the right places and pure peanut butter flavor.

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Together on Dana Treat: Holly B’s Peanut Butter Brownies, Peanut Butter Cup Brownies, Peanut Butter Candy Mini Brownie Cups

Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks
Baked – New Frontiers in Baking
Makes about 24 cookies

Holy mistake Batman!  I just realized while typing in this recipe that I did not add the called for 1 cup of granulated sugar to the butter and brown sugar.  Yes, my cookies were missing a whole cup of sugar and are still delicious.  If you choose to leave out that cup of  granulated sugar, be sure to still use the cup of brown sugar.  Below is what you are supposed to do.

1¾ cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 ounces good milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.  The mixture will look light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.

Add half the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mis until just incorporated.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate.  Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  (DT: I skipped this step and the cookies did not stick.)

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared sheets, at least 2 inches apart.  With the palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape.  Do not press too hard and do not press it flat.

Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with granulated sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Use a spatula to transfer the individual cookies to the rack to cool completely (although they are delicious warm).

The cookies can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days



23 Comments »

  1. Ha! Maybe I will just leave out the sugar like you and consider them healthy..ha! They look great! PB is never my first choice, but these look tasty!

    Comment by Maria — January 19, 2010 @ 11:20 pm

  2. I agree, I’ll leave out the sugar too and see what happens. I think I’ll make these tonight. I love that the recipe is from Baked! That was my favorite bakery in Brooklyn. Alejandro and I had their cupcakes at our wedding instead of a cake.

    Comment by Allison Arevalo — January 19, 2010 @ 11:57 pm

  3. Oh I like your way better! If it’s not crucial, little less guilt.

    Comment by Sara — January 20, 2010 @ 12:17 am

  4. oh definitely way better!

    Comment by dawn — January 20, 2010 @ 12:37 am

  5. Could there be anything better in this world?! Chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. Thanks for making me want to be in the kitchen this weekend.

    Comment by Steph — January 20, 2010 @ 1:55 am

  6. i am afraid. i am very afraid. i don’t know how I will not eat this whole batch if i make them. It’s still going in my to do list. My thighs are gonna HATE you. But me heart will love you. xo

    Comment by Tracy — January 20, 2010 @ 2:27 am

  7. Wow these cookies do look wonderful. I want some!

    Comment by Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes — January 20, 2010 @ 2:30 am

  8. Yum yum yum yum yum! I love peanut butter, and these cookies look smashing. And the fact that you left out a whole cup of sugar and they were still good? Can’t beat that!

    Thanks for leaving me good wishes on my blog :) I feel bad that I was missing in action and so out of commission these past few months…I’ve so missed visiting your blog! There were so many days when I wanted to read my favorite food blogs, but I knew I would vomit just looking at food, haha. Anyway, I’m back in the game now, so I’ll be back to visiting much more regularly :)

    By the way, I just saw your post on Baked’s Sweet and Salty Cake. Umm…I NEED to make that, pronto!

    Comment by HappyTummy — January 20, 2010 @ 3:06 am

  9. we JUST polished off a batch of pb/chocolate chip cookies over here (goodness, us great minds DO think alike). :) the recipe is similar to yours, with the addition of old-fashioned oatmeal (to ease the guilt) as we can never resist temptation around the house for too long!

    Comment by giao — January 20, 2010 @ 6:43 am

  10. Oooh these look good. These will definitely be my next baking mission, and I’ll be leaving out the sugar too – great if it’s not missed.

    Comment by Hannah — January 20, 2010 @ 7:42 am

  11. I made these cookies as well and I LOVED them. They are so moist and soft, with a slight crunch on the edges. I used bittersweet chocolate instead and oh my. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

    Comment by Amanda — January 20, 2010 @ 3:20 pm

  12. My heart belongs to peanut butter and all its incarnations. Thank you for this recipe. I see peanut butter cookies in my future.

    Comment by Tracy (Amuse-bouche for Two) — January 20, 2010 @ 4:26 pm

  13. Well, sure, once you add chocolate a peanut butter cookie is a whole new ballgame. And now, of course, I’m craving these.

    Comment by Kate @ Savour Fare — January 20, 2010 @ 5:18 pm

  14. I often use a little less sugar than called for and half-whole wheat flour in the choc.chip cookies at our house – they seem fine. But a whole cup? I’ll give this recipe a try! I too am not a fan of the PB cookie but the kids are so this will be next weekend’s cookie. I might try adding the oatmeal that another comment suggested…

    Comment by Katie — January 20, 2010 @ 8:20 pm

  15. Wow, so good to know the sugar can be significantly decreased! Peanut butter and chocolate together is a lovely thing. These look dangerous.

    Comment by lisaiscooking — January 20, 2010 @ 11:50 pm

  16. Yum Dana! I know what you mean about the typical peanut butter cookie. Meh. But there is no better combo than peanut butter and chocolate!

    Comment by Andrea — January 21, 2010 @ 2:23 am

  17. Yes, something that looks loaded with peanut butter! I hate it when pb cookie recipes have only 1/2 cup, really, how can you even taste it? Can’t wait to give these a try!

    Comment by Heather I. — January 22, 2010 @ 2:35 am

  18. These look amazing! I just discovered your blog and am really liking your writing style thus far :o). I think my 3 year-old will go nuts (no pun intended) for them. Maybe I’ll make them for him and eat a bunch of them myself while he is at school…hummm.

    Comment by Dayna — January 22, 2010 @ 9:51 pm

  19. These look amazing! I just discovered your blog and am really liking your writing style thus far :o). I think my 3 year-old will go nuts (no pun intended) for them. Maybe I’ll make them for him and eat a bunch of them myself while he is at school…hummm.

    Comment by Dayna — January 22, 2010 @ 9:51 pm

  20. This recipe looks great. Most PB cookie recipes state that in order to succeed you MUST use the Jiffy kind vs. the natural kind. I am still on the quest to find a recipe where I don’t need to use Jiffy. Curious…what kind of PB did you use? The good Whole Foods stuff or Jiffy? ;-)

    Comment by SFmom — January 26, 2010 @ 2:48 am

  21. […] decadent with that little chocolate goodness on top. Or, if you are a friend of gluten, I trust Dana’s stamp of approval on this version as well (and appreciate that she halved the […]

    Pingback by THE COOKIE PERSON. » Sprouted Kitchen — January 29, 2010 @ 9:56 pm

  22. Peanut butter cookies aren’t usually my first choice either but I do love them! They’re my brother’s favourite though so I’ll have to save this recipe for him.

    Comment by Ashley — February 1, 2010 @ 3:02 pm

  23. These are amazing cookies! You’re right, they’re not the average peanut butter cookie. They’re almost more like a chocolate peanut butter candy in cookie form. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe that’s earned a place in my recipes collection.

    Comment by D. @ Outside Oslo — February 2, 2010 @ 6:29 am



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