Peanut
Butter Cookies
Makes
about 3 dozen cookies
These
cookies have a strong peanut flavor that comes from extra-crunchy peanut
butter (in our taste test we preferred Jif) as well as from roasted salted
peanuts that are ground in a food processor and worked into the dough.
In our testing, we found that salted butter brings out the flavor of the
nuts. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to one teaspoon.
2
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2
teaspoon baking soda
1/2
teaspoon baking powder
1/2
teaspoon salt
1/2
pound (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1
cup brown sugar, packed
1
cup granulated sugar
1
cup extra-crunchy peanut butter, preferably Jif, at room temperature
2
large eggs
2
teaspoons vanilla extract
1
cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food
processor
to resemble bread crumbs, about 14 pulses
1.
Adjust ovens rack to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to
350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2.
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl;
set aside.
3.
Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars;
beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with electric mixer, stopping to scrape
down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated,
then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into
peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts; stir gently until just incorporated.
4.
Working with generous 2 tablespoons each time, roll dough into 2-inch balls.
Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving 2 1/2inches between
each ball. Press each dough ball twice with dinner fork dipped in cold
water to make crisscross design.
5.
Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking time (from
top to bottom racks and back to front), until cookies are puffed and slightly
brown along edges but not on top, 10 to 12 minutes. (Cookies will not look
fully baked.) Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes,
then transfer to wire rack with wide spatula to cool completely.
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