Peanut Butter Cookies - Bake-Off XIII

[KennethT]

hmmm... my gut instinct is that using a presweetened peanut butter is a big part of teh problem... to me, when I taste them, they are already too sweet. Before changing your recipe, I would try using the same recipe, but using a natural, unsweetened peanut butter - the fresher ground the better. I think your cookies will come out much more peanutty! I don't know if you have a Whole Foods near you, or if so, they even have this machine, but the WF near me has a nut grinder where you can grind a variety of nuts into butters on demand. Make as much as you want - they charge by weight. The butters don't come out super smooth, but they have a very strong peanut aroma. Use the unsalted peanuts, and then add salt to your batter to taste (or use your recipe).

[MelissaH]

I liked Joanne Chang's recipe, published in her cookbook Flour and available on line here: http://macybakes.blogspot.com/2011/09/mmmmpeanut-butter.html

She uses Teddie brand peanut butter, but if that isn't available where you are, look for something that's not too sweet. I prefer something that's homogenized, because the all-natural stuff always seems to make the cookies too oily.

[cakewalk]

Just about every recipe I've ever seen for peanut butter cookies (or peanut butter anything) warns against using "natural" peanut butter. I think it's due to the texture more than anything else.

[KennethT]

I see both of those points - oiliness and texture... I don't know of any smooth, homogenized brand that isn't too sweet though...

[gfron1]

Our favorite recipe is Lebovitz with a teaspoon of cayenne. We don't fork them down so they stay light and crumbly.

[Shel_B]

I see both of those points - oiliness and texture... I don't know of any smooth, homogenized brand that isn't too sweet though...

[Katie Meadow]

My favorite recipe is Clair Robinson's flourless peanut butter cookies.

http://whisksandwhimsy.com/2012/01/12/flourless-peanut-butter-cookies/

I tweak them just a bit by adding a T or so of buckwheat flour, which helps manage them, but isn't necessary. Without flour the pb taste is BIG. I use natural unsweetened chunky pb, Adams or Laura Scudders--both easy to find in supermarkets. Then I add a few sprinkles of goodies, such as some cocoa nibs and/or black sesame seeds. They are really pretty great. Along with the sea salt on top I also sprinkle a little large-crystal sugar so they are sweet and salty on top. These are not super-sweet cookies, but I find the sugar can be cut back a bit for excellent results.

[CatPoet]

I use this, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/flourless-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe.html and you need to find a none sweetened all natural peanut butter or they get too sweet.

 

I dipped them in dark chocolae and skipped the salt on top.

[Porthos]

I don't care for peanut butter cookies but my DW and my FIL always really enjoy them made with the recipe in this link:  http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/280194. It's a staple for vacation and for Christmas cookie tins.

 

It's a few entries down and is from dixieday. I have a Word Document version that I could PM you if your interested.

 

As an aside, I hope to someday figure out how to link replacing the URL with my own text.

[andiesenji]

This is my "old standard" Peanut butter cookie recipe.  As noted, these are a bit sturdier than regular PB cookies - I developed this recipe so they could be shipped without breaking up into crumbs.

I converted it to weight measurements some time ago and can't find the old one with volume measurements. 

These use less sugar than most recipes and are plenty sweet. 

Sturdy Peanut Butter Cookies
Good for shipping.

This recipe makes about 60 cookies depending on size.   I aim for 7 cm in diameter.

270 gm        butter, unsalted  softened (room temp)
130 gm        brown sugar                
130 gm        white sugar                
280 gm        peanut butter        you can use smooth or chunky REGULAR not "natural"  (Jif, Skippy or Planters)
1            egg  extra large  
2 teaspoons    vanilla extract

Measure the next three ingredients into a separate bowl and whisk to blend.
400 gm        flour, all purpose
3/4 teaspoon    baking soda  (bicarb)
1/2 teaspoon    salt

Optional:  You can add either chopped peanuts or chocolate chips,  up to about 180 gm if you wish.

Put the softened butter and both sugars in the bowl of a mixer and beat until fluffy.
Add the peanut butter and beat until well blended.
Add the egg and vanilla extract  and beat until blended.
Beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture until smooth.
Add another third and beat again until the dough appears smooth and creamy.
Add the remaining third a little at a time - the dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl. 

If you are adding chopped peanuts or choc chips, add them now.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 177° C  - 350° F.  

Line baking sheets with parchment paper  or if you have Silpat sheets, use those.

With a small soup spoon or *disher, form the dough into 2.5 cm balls.  I scoop them roughly onto the sheet pans then roll each between my palms to for a ball.  

Place on the sheet pans about 5 cm apart.

Flatten the balls to about 1 cm thick (or a bit less) with a fork dipped in granulated sugar, forming a criss-cross pattern.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they just show a touch of color around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
I just pull the entire sheet of parchment off the sheet pan, allow the pan to cool and transfer another loaded sheet onto the pan.  
The cookies will pop right off the parchment when cool and  you can use it again, several times.

I have a glass with a "hobnail" bottom and I use this to flatten my cookies.  It is faster than using a fork but not everyone has one of these.  A friend, who makes huge batches of these cookies uses a round potato masher that leaves a waffle pattern on the cookies.

I've found this recipe can be doubled or tripled for more cookies, but I make multiple batches rather than one big batch if I need more than four times as many cookies.  

These cookies hold together when dunked in coffee or cocoa!

* A disher is an ice cream scoop, they come in various sizes from very small to very large.  

You can use different types of flour if you wish.  Whole wheat flour - you will have to use less because it absorbs more moisture.
Same with oat flour, although this does produce a lovely, tender cookie, not as sturdy as with regular flour.
I have not tried it with other flours but have been told that coconut flour will not hold together well using this recipe.

[pbear]

Elsie, bear in mind that your friend probably likes the standard recipe, even if you find it too sweet.

 

Porthos, there's a button at the top of the reply box, ninth from the left in the second row, that says "link" when you mouse over it.  Select the text you want to associate with the link; hit that button; paste in the link; hit enter.

[pastryani]

Piggy-backing on this thread as I'm on the hunt for a SOFT and CHEWY peanut butter cookie.  I just made a batch and they were crumbly and on the dry side.  I'm sifting thru recipes now but thought that surely someone here might have a fab soft 'n chewy recipe they'd be willing to share?!

 

I prefer to use as much peanut butter as possible, so I've been looking at recipes that use 1 cup PB for every 1 egg.  Also, what is it that will make them chewy?  Corn syrup?

 

My tall glass of milk awaits and thanks you.

 

 

[gfron1]

I've long made Lebovitz's version which is soft and chewy. I make mine large (5" across) and bake slightly less (17 min at 340º).

[pastryani]

Thanks x3 gfron!!    I'll try this one out!

[gfron1]

1 hour ago, pastryani said:

Thanks x3 gfron!!    I'll try this one out!

You're welcome. I put a teaspoon of cayenne in that recipe for perfection!

[Kerry Beal]

 

Kinda soft, kinda crispy - still warm from the oven.

[pastryani]

I tried the Leibovitz recipe and split it in two:  one half was made as-written, the other half I subbed out the white sugar for corn syrup.  I liked the latter slightly better, but found both to be a bit too sweet for my taste.  I'll try this again with less brown sugar.

 

Cayenne sounds like a great addition.

 

Kerry that looks great - what recipe do you use?!

[Lisa Shock]

IMO, the best peanut butter is the stuff you make yourself right before you need to use it. I take raw peanuts and roast them on the stovetop in a copper saucepan (if it's just a few, the copper cools quickly helping avoid burning) or the oven if it's a project using a lot of peanuts. I let them cool a little, put them in a steel milkshake cup, then hit them with my immersion blender. Just takes a few minutes, and tastes better than anything that's been sitting around.

 

That said, I usually make almond butter cookies instead of peanut -using roasted almond butter, made as above, plus a drop of almond extract. If it's a super special occasion, I will half-dip them in dark chocolate.

[Kerry Beal]

8 hours ago, pastryani said:

I tried the Leibovitz recipe and split it in two:  one half was made as-written, the other half I subbed out the white sugar for corn syrup.  I liked the latter slightly better, but found both to be a bit too sweet for my taste.  I'll try this again with less brown sugar.

 

Cayenne sounds like a great addition.

 

Kerry that looks great - what recipe do you use?!

Just my mom's recipe - with the addition of about 30 grams of blackstrap molasses.

 

Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients   1 cup flour (140 grams) ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp baking soda ½ cup butter (112 grams) ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams) ½ cup sugar - oops forgot to put that in there 30 grams blackstrap molasses ½ cup peanut butter (125 grams) 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla Beat together sugar, molasses, egg and butter, stir in peanut butter, vanilla, mix in dry ingredients   Bake at 350 for 15 minutes

[pastryani]

Thanks Kerry - I'll have to try this one out!