I feel the end of summer creeping up behind me and the panic arises within: have I lived summer to its fullest? Did we squeeze the last drop of sunshine out of each and every day? Probably not, but we have had tons of fun and that qualifies as success in my book. Yet I realize that we haven’t made any cookies! Sure, we have bought ice cream sandwiches from the corner store and made chocolate banana bread, but no cookies. It’s time to rectify that oversight pronto.
I spent many afternoons mixing together chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies on my summers off from school, ready to be devoured right out of the oven. Peanut butter cookies with their simple cross hatch and light crunch of sugar, make it one of my favorites. My dad remembers my grandma making peanut butter cookies when he was a child as well. I wanted to try a version with our pantry staple peanut butter, Adams. Adams brand doesn’t include any added sugar and this can be a problem with some recipes. I used the Adams Creamy No Stir peanut butter in this recipe. The cookie turned out exactly like I wanted, crisp outside and slightly chewy. The addition of almond extract adds a nice depth of flavor.
Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe is mildly adapted from L.V. Anderson’s Peanut Butter Cookies. I used a bit less almond extract and some extra sugar for rolling, but kept it pretty much the same.
Yield: 2 dozen
Time: 20 minutes, plus chill time and baking
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling the cookies in
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the peanut butter, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes on medium low). Turn the speed to low and add in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Scrape as needed. Mix for 1 minute. Turn the mixer to “stir” and add the flour mixture. Combine until just mixed. Scrape batter out on parchment paper and shape into a log. Roll up and twist the ends (like a tootsie roll) and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours. I put mine in over night.
Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll into granulated sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Slightly press each ball with a fork in a cross hatch design. Bake for 10 minutes until slightly browned on the edges. Cool on wire rack and enjoy! Store in an air tight container.
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Baking with Rachel 