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Sunday, August 2, 2009

Sweet Melissa Sundays: Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies



It's finally my turn to host Sweet Melissa Sundays! Yey! Since it was my turn to choose a recipe, I went for something simple, and something that I think mostttt people would like. It was a tough choice.. there are so many delicious recipes in the Sweet Melissa Baking Book! Finally I decided on Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies. Me and pretty much everyone I know LOVES Peanut Butter but for some reason, I don't make Peanut Butter cookies that often. Maybe because the boy likes chewy cookies, and the few times I have made them, I don't ever remembering them coming out that chewy. Fortunately, this recipe whipped up some seriously good, seriously simple to make, seriously soft and chewy cookies. Mmmm, Sunday breakfast perfection.

I decided to make them a bunch of different ways. For my first batch, I made some the straight up Peanut Butter Cookie way, with the fork indentations and everything (though I didn't cross them, what can I say I'm a minimalist). With others, I rolled them in some turbinado sugar for a little extra crunch. And with others, I made little pockets - some were filled with grape jelly and others were filled with fluff:



With this first batch of cookies, I decided to leave out the egg to make Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies... Ok, FINE you caught me. I did that by accident. After my precious little goodies were cooking in the oven and I began cleaning up, I noticed that sneaky little egg on the counter. Bit of advice: when you're baking mise en place , make sure your placing all of your pre-measured ingredients ON THE SAME COUNTER. Or else you might forget the SNEAKY LITTLE EGG!!!!

But, as my good friend Cicero said, "We must not say every mistake is a foolish one." I think maybe he made peanut butter cookies and left out the egg one time, because this mistake was pretty delicious. They turned out like shortbread!! If you like shortbread and peanut butter, try the recipe this way some time!! :) Maybe I should re-design my measurements APRON to also include, in a nice large font, "DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE SNEAKY EGG IN!" :)

The only thing that didn't come out so well was....

6 out of 9 of the Jelly filled ones came out looking like they puked on my baking sheet. Oh wells!! Maybe I'll try this idea again in the future when I put the egg in... I think they cracked open because the cookie was dry and crumbly. It would probably work if they were chewy like they were supposed to be.

Since it was my turn to host this week, I couldn't post a MISTAKE! So I whipped up another batch and this time I REMEMBERED TO PUT THE EGG IN. With these ones, I made some the traditional way, others I rolled in turbinado sugar, and others I threw a few chocolate chips in.

Result?? DELICIOUS. I know I will certainly be making Peanut Butter cookies more often from now on. They came out nice and soft and perfectly chewy, just like the recipe said! And they are Peanut Buttery, but not so overwhelmingly peanut buttery. I thought they were rather perfect. One reviewer said it tasted like a sugar cookie with a kick of peanut butter. Hope everyone enjoyed baking with me this week! I can't wait to visit your blogs and see what you came up with!!



Recipe, pg. 66 of the Sweet Melissa Baking Book!
"The cookies are best when they are chewy, so don't over-bake them!"
Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg which may or may not be optional :)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Before you start: Position a rack in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream peanut butter, butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Beat in the egg.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything is combined evenly.

4. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll into balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets, and press down slightly. Using a fork dipped in flour, press down on the cookies first one way and then the other to form an "X" pattern, creating the crosshatch effect. (The cookies should now measure approx. 2 inches in diameter.) Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Overbaking will cause these chewy cookies to become crunchy so try to avoid it.

The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, they can be frozen wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Do not unwrap before defrosting.







Please be sure to check out all the other fabulous SMS Bakers' posts!!

26 comments:

Mrs. G said...

Thanks for hosting! We loved these cookies.

Nina said...

Yummy! I never thought to fill them with jelly. Perhaps next time! These look awesome!

Katiecakes said...

I loved you post! So funny!

I think the sugar crusted cookies are my fave, what a great idea! Thanks for picking a winner :)

Katie xox

Kerstin said...

Oh wow, all your versions look delicious! I love that you stuffed some with jelly!

Lauren said...

I love how your jelly version "puked" on the sheet! hahaha :) The sugar coated version looks fantastic!!!

Fit Chick said...

Thanks for your easy pick and for hosting this week! I was thinking of making a grape ice cream and turning them into ice cream sandwich cookies.

Unknown said...

Thanks for hosting this week! I'd made these cookies once before but really enjoyed them so I was happy to bake them again. Yours look awesome - love all the photos!

Jennifer said...

THANK YOU for picking these cookies for this weeks SMS!! I made a batch shortly ago and they are almost all gone. SOOOOO good!!!! I love the sugar crust! Sorry the jelly didnt work out, great idea though!! :)

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Yay, for hosting! Great choice and I like your variations.
~ingrid

k.a.r.e.n said...

Delicious is right! Thanks for a great & EASY recipe.

I love the ones you did with the turbinado... they look so pro!

Your puked cookies made me laugh!

Sarah said...

I love all of your different variations, and mistake or not, I think peanut butter shortbread sounds fabulous! Thanks for hosting this week, great pick!

Donna-FFW said...

Absolutely love peanut butter cookies.. so funny mine just came out of the oven. Great minds..

Jaime said...

thanks for a great pick!! I loved these. nice variations - how fun

margot said...

I love all your variations, especially the marshmallow - yum! This was an excellent choice, I am happy to have a great peanut butter cookie recipe in my arsenal.

Pamela said...

Beautiful pictures, all of them! Tasty pick this week, for sure!

HanaĂą said...

The puking cookie was hilarious. Especially since "the puke" was green. I think what you did was great; experimenting with the recipe. Like your shortbread idea.

Thanks for hosting this week. I can't wait to hear what my coworkers think of the PB cookies tomorrow.

apparentlyjessy said...

Yeah, I officially dub you Queen of all cookies! Even the mistake ones look delicious!

HappyTummy said...

Both your versions look yuuuuumy! So the cookies without the egg really did taste good? Because my husband LOVES shortbread, and he LOVES peanut butter cookies too...so if there is a combination of the two, he would go gaga. I'll have to try your delicious mistake!

Karin said...

I love your little dishes- so cute! And your cookies look delicious. Thanks for picking such a great recipe... everyone in my house LOVES peanut butter! I'll have to try adding the chocolate chips next time. That is definitely a winning combo.

Smitten Sugar said...

Your puking cookie is too funny! All the others turned out looking great! The sugar crusted ones look amazing!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for hosting and picking such a great recipe. I'll have to try it the shortbread way. You know the best inventions have happened by accident.

Your cookies look awesome.

Flourchild said...

Perfect choice..those cookies are so good! I really like all of your photos even the one barfing!!

Mermaid Sews said...

Great post and thanks so much for hosting, sorry I didn't get a chance to make these this week but I am doing a double cookie this weekend for SMS.

Deborah Eley De Bono said...

I adore a good p-nut butter cookie. Did you use a peanut butter with suger like Jiff or the one that only has peanuts and needs to be refrigerated?

Palidor said...

They look very tasty... even the ones that barfed! ;-) I hope you'll try the jam-filled ones again because I think you're onto something really delicious.

segĂșn yo said...

I loved the consistency, although mine did flatten. I also would have preferred them to be more peanut buttery, but for a sugar cookie these are great!

Am I able to substitute peanut butter for some of the butter do you think?

(I LOVE peanut butter like, too much proably)

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