Point After Peanut Butter Cookies

cover photography Elizabeth Messina

batches of test cookies in my kitchen

bags of test cookies to go out for blind tasting
When were testing recipes for Football Food, the cookbook I co-authored with Kelly Lawless, I decided we needed the ultimate peanut butter cookie for a playoff party. We made over 300 cookies to find the perfect recipe. After a blind taste testing, this version won unanimously!
1 ½ sticks butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups peanut butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar, plus enough to coat dough balls
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cup unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350º.
In a mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar together until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine. Add dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture. The dough will be very sticky!
Place granulated sugar in a shallow plate for rolling the balls of dough.
Roll dough in the palm of your hands into a 1 ½” ball and roll the ball in the sugar.
Place the ball of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet or engrossed baking sheet.
Use the tines of a fork to press the balls flat, making a criss-cross pattern on the cookie.
Roll dough in the palm of your hands into a 1 ½” ball and roll the ball in the sugar.
Place the ball of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet or engrossed baking sheet.
Use the tines of a fork to press the balls flat, making a criss-cross pattern on the cookie.
Bake 14 to 16 minutes, but do not over bake or the cookies will be dry.
Let cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Let cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies
"It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."
Archie Griffen, two-time Heisman winner
Comments