Peanut butter cookie problem

[FoodMan]

I’ve noticed this a couple of times already. Whenever I make peanut butter cookies and leave them to cool overnight, just like any other cookie, they invariably taste stale. Not cookie stale, more like a stale off-tasting peanut. I know the peanut butter and the chocolate chips in them are good because I taste them first and they are perfectly fresh. Even when the cookies come out of the oven they taste perfect. The problem is I cannot store them warm or they will get too soft and if I leave them overnight they develop this stale nut taste. Any helpful suggestions? Am I doing anything wrong?

FM

[CompassRose]

That's why I don't really like peanut butter cookies. Even the ones one buys have that taste, at least to me.

The Reese's peanut-butter chips make a nice peanut-butter-ish oatmeal cookie...

[yorkshirepud]

Mmm...

What are you storing them in? Do you think perhaps the 'taste' is coming from that (i.e. tupperware).

What's odd is the fact that your chocolate chips and peanut butter would be at room temperature when stored anyway. So I wonder why when baked into something, the PB is giving off the stale taste.

Could it be your butter (assuming your using it)?

Edited April 30, 2004 by yorkshirepud (log)

[Marlene]

I never leave my cookies out overnight to cool. I don't know if maybe they're getting to much air?

On another note, I saw the title of this thread and it reminded me I had some peanut butter chocolate explosion ice cream melting slowly in the trunk of my car!

I rescued it. Thanks!

[yorkshirepud]

Oh, I just re-read and saw you're are letting the cookies cool overnight. Therefore, I guess they are not covered. My guess is that it's the over exposure to the air (as Marlene mentioned).

[clothier]

Cookies the next day?

Really?

You're kidding, right?

I thought you were supposed to eat them while they were still warm.

You let them cool? Overnight? And the other people in your house go along with this?

Interesting concept.

[ms. victoria]

What kind of peanut butter are you using? I've always used my Mom's recipe, but when we decided to eschew all things partially hydrogenated we switched to all natural peanut butter. The cookies are more peanut-y and a little crisper. Though it is rare that they live to see morning.

[FoodMan]

Cookies the next day?

Really?

You're kidding, right?

I thought you were supposed to eat them while they were still warm.

You let them cool? Overnight? And the other people in your house go along with this?

Interesting concept.

You know as I was typing my question earlier today, I was positive that someone will inevitably come up with these comments . To answer them, my only son is 9 months old so he is not aware of the wonders of cookies until I give them to him. My wife is already in bed when I do get around to making them. So I basically pig out on warm cookies and leave the rest to cool .

Thanks for everyone's comments. I do not think it is the tupperware since the cookies have that stale taste in the morning before going in it. I think it might be the cooked (Vs. raw room temp PB) peanut butter that is very sensitive to air like it was mentioned earlier. I will try and store them quiker in the future. Also the use of all natural PB might help.

Elie

[clothier]

I see.

My boys are 6 and 4, and as much as they like cookies, they'd really rather eat the dough. They get it from their mom.

Me? I like cookies.

I admire people who can give up the partially hydrogenated stuff. I'd miss Jif, among other things.

[Marlene]

My boys are 6 and 4, and as much as they like cookies, they'd really rather eat the dough.

Isn't that the truth. Ryan will eat cookie dough forever if I let him.

[ms. victoria]

Re: giving up hydrogenated oil, it was difficult at the beginning, especially considering we gave up high-fructose corn syrup as well. EVERYTHING has one or the other or both, even tomato sauce But we've got it down pretty well and I seem to have lost the taste for it. As much as I thought I would miss extra-crunchy Jif, it tastes "off" to me now.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I'd rather put the cookies in the jar slightly warm rather than keep them out overnight (and I do a lot of late-night baking!). But I've not had problems with stale or rancid flavors from my peanut butter cookies unless they sat in the jar for weeks (which is a very rare event).

I'd guess that something is up with the ingredients (butter or peanut butter most likely), and you just don't notice it when they're warm, but it's obvious when they're not warm & luscious. That, or maybe there's something odd with your recipe that gives a funny flavor. What's the recipe you're using?

[clothier]

Re: giving up hydrogenated oil, it was difficult at the beginning, especially considering we gave up high-fructose corn syrup as well. EVERYTHING has one or the other or both, even tomato sauce But we've got it down pretty well and I seem to have lost the taste for it. As much as I thought I would miss extra-crunchy Jif, it tastes "off" to me now.

wow. that's some strong will power you've got there.

[Majra]

\

Also the use of all natural PB might help.

Is this ok to substitute? I swear I have seen so many recipes for peanut butter treats that read "do not substitute natural peanut butter." Since I never have Jif in the house, I just turn the page. Have I been turning my back on the beloved peanut butter cookie for no valid reason?

[ms. victoria]

Majra, I have subbed natural peanut butter in all my recipes with no problems. The texture may change a little, but it has never changed it enough to make anything an unqualified disaster. I use Arrowhead Mills organic, but I have used the "grind your own" at the healthfood store. I did find that a little dry, if that makes sense.

[enrevanche]

I wouldn't leave the cookies out overnight. Take them off the cookie sheet, transfer them to wire racks for cooling and they'll be at room temperature in an hour, no more, and ready for storage.

If you're storing them in a plastic container (e.g., Tupperware) line the bottom with wax paper first, and put wax paper between the layers of cookies. I have sometimes noticed an "off" flavor from baked goods stored in plastic, and this practice seems to prevent it.

[FoodMan]

I'd rather put the cookies in the jar slightly warm rather than keep them out overnight (and I do a lot of late-night baking!). But I've not had problems with stale or rancid flavors from my peanut butter cookies unless they sat in the jar for weeks (which is a very rare event).

I'd guess that something is up with the ingredients (butter or peanut butter most likely), and you just don't notice it when they're warm, but it's obvious when they're not warm & luscious. That, or maybe there's something odd with your recipe that gives a funny flavor. What's the recipe you're using?

I am positive the ingredients are perfectly fine and taste fine on their own. I store my butter in the freezer and keep one stick at a time in the fridge it tastes wonderful on its own. The peanut butter is Jif and it also tastes good. As for the recipe, it calls for :

butter

sugar

one egg

PB

chopped chocolate

flour

baking soda

a pinch of salt

chopped peanuts (which I did not use and subbed some crunchy PB isntead)

It is a recipe from the China Moon cookbook for peanut butter and chocolate bars.

Elie

[Joni]

Never store them overnight. You eat them right from the oven or that day. Then, you freeze them. The only cookies that improve with age are shortbread, in my opinion. The rest you need to bake and eat the same day!

[Behemoth]

I've always had the same problem and now that I think about it, does there exist a good slice and bake version of this recipe? It seems like exactly the sort of cookie that would work well in that format.

[redfox]

Never store them overnight. You eat them right from the oven or that day. Then, you freeze them. The only cookies that improve with age are shortbread, in my opinion. The rest you need to bake and eat the same day!

Gosh, to me that kind of defeats the purpose of baking cookies -- having a nice full cookie jar so you can reach in and have one when the mood strikes you! I wouldn't like to have to thaw my cookies every time I wanted to eat any. I do think that chocolate chip cookies, once they're no longer warm, are best kept refrigerated (in a tin). Maybe peanut butter cookies would benefit from the same treatment?

[FoodMan]

I've always had the same problem and now that I think about it, does there exist a good slice and bake version of this recipe? It seems like exactly the sort of cookie that would work well in that format.

I guess this one is a slice (or cut) and bake. The dough is formed into a square and chilled them sliced into squares and baked.

As for chocolate chip cookies, I keep them in an air tight container for more than a week and they still taste great.

Elie

[Behemoth]

I do think that chocolate chip cookies, once they're no longer warm, are best kept refrigerated (in a tin). Maybe peanut butter cookies would benefit from the same treatment?

I dunno, refrigerated cookies changes the texture from what I've experienced. But the slice & bakes -- I meant you could keep the dough in the fridge (as if it would last more than a few days...) and slice off a half dozen or so whenever you wanted them. You know, like the ready-made tollhouse things they sell at 7-11. The baking part doesn't take more than ten minutes. I bet you could even do it in a toaster oven. Or, have you tried putting the day-old cookies in the toaster oven? A regular toaster might work, if they are not really goopy.

[redfox]

I dunno, refrigerated cookies changes the texture from what I've experienced.

Yeah, I think that's what I like. I'm a weirdo.

[JanKK]

I wouldn't like to have to thaw my cookies every time I wanted to eat any.

So who said anything about thawing them??

I used to put cookies in the freezer so I would NOT eat them all --and knew they would keep better in the freezer anyway. But then I discovered that many cookies ---most especially peanut butter and Spritz are excellent eaten straight out of the freezer.

[lorea]

When I know I'm not going to be eating a whole batch, I portion mine out onto a silpat/parchment and flash-freeze the cookies into portion size, then slip them into a freezer bag when they're hard. When I want fresh cookies the next day, I just pop them in the oven and I get freshly baked cookies anytime!

With the refrigerator cookies, I would slice them once they are hard, then freeze, so I wouldn't need to slice each one before I wanted to bake them.