I have been baking a lot this fall. It probably has to do with the weather. When it is rainy and cold out, I love to cook and bake. Just the smell of delicious food makes me instantly feel better. Plus, staying active, whether I am organizing, cooking or cleaning keeps me sane. I just am not good at resting, unless it is to watch a great movie or TV show.
Recently after minor surgery, my husband was turning down the covers on my bed. I asked him why he was doing it and he said it was for me to rest. This was very considerate and kind of him and I thanked him and told him I had no need to rest. I felt fine, and walked right into the kitchen to bake these cookies.
There are a lot of boring yet delicious peanut butter cookie recipes out there. Most of them have white sugar, brown sugar and flour in them. So does this one! But look carefully, there is something different about this recipe. They are made not with the usual salt, but with a coarse salt with generous bold flakes. Each bite of these amazing cookies surprises you with a nutty, sweet and tart flavor that is incredible. Dome shaped and best served warm, they are crispy outside and tender inside. I challenge you to eat just one. Put this one on your “absolutely must try” list and thank me later.
FYI – I just lightly dipped the bottoms of the cookie in Maldon salt flakes. This was suggested by the author of this recipe, and I didn’t want any of the salt to fall off if I had out them on top.
This recipe is courtesy of Julia Moskin and City Bakery, and will make 2-3 dozen cookies that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Sandies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups peanut butter, creamy or chunky
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Flakey salt like Maldon for sprinkling
Heat the oven to 375°F with racks in the lower and upper thirds.
Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, at least 3 minutes.
Scrape down the edges of the bowl, add the peanut butter and eggs, and mix on medium-high speed until well combined.
Add the flour and mix on low speed until no streaks of flour remain.
Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. (They won’t spread).
Sprinkle the top with flaky salt (or the bottoms).
Bake until golden about 10 to 11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets back to front and top to bottom halfway through the baking.
Transfer the cookies onto a rack to let cool.
Serve warm, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
These are the best the day they are made, but after that they can be rewarmed at 350°F for about 5 minutes.
You can also freeze extra scooped cookies for later and bake them without defrosting – they will take 1 to 2 minutes longer to bake.
It’s that simple!
