Peanut Butter Cookies CI

By mariannefeldman

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/853-big-super-nutty-peanut-butter-cookies?incode=MCSCZ00L0

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), salted
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter, preferably Jif
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs, about 14 pulses (about 1 cup, packed)

Preparation

Step 1

BIG, SUPER-NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Published March 1, 1998.

For our best peanut butter cookie recipe, we preferred commercial peanut butters, which helped the cookies rise and achieve a crispier edge and a softer center. Also playing roles in our quest for the "perfect" peanut butter cookie recipe were the amount and type of sugar (white sugar was necessary for crisp edges and chewy centers, dark brown sugar enriched the flavor of the nuts); flour (too little and the cookies were oily, too much and they were dry); and leavening (baking soda contributed to browning and peanut flavor and baking powder provided lift, so both were necessary). The final turning point, however, rested on peanuts and salt. Adding some roasted, salted peanuts, ground in a food processor, and then adding still more salt (directly to the batter as well in the form of salted rather than unsalted butter) produced a strong roasted nut flavor without sacrificing anything in terms of texture.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 3 DOZEN COOKIES

Bringing the butter, peanut butter, and eggs to room temperature makes it easier to blend the ingredients. Be sure to grind the peanuts, since whole, and even chopped peanuts tend to slip out of the dough. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon. Keep finished cookies refrigerated in airtight container. To restore just-baked chewiness, wrap a cookie in a sheet of paper towel and microwave for approximately 25 seconds. Cool before serving.


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to low center position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

2. In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, 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.

3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time (see illustration 1 below), roll into large balls, placing them 2 inches apart on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Following illustration 2, press each dough ball with back of dinner fork dipped in cold water to make crisscross design. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 10 to 12 minutes (they will not look fully baked). Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 7 days.

STEP-BY-STEP

SHAPING THE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES


1. Measure two tablespoons of dough and with your hands roll into large ball.


2. For crisscross design, press each cookie twice with back of fork dipped in cold water.