Lately I have been on a  peanut butter kick.   Slathered on apple wedges, chunks of banana, in celery to make it edible, or a pbj sandwich when I am off for a bike ride or at a regatta. It is eminently convenient, a great energy and protein source and the added bonus, a pbj sammie makes me feel like a kid again.  If you are old enough, you’ll remember the giant peanut butter cookies that every self-respecting school cafeteria sold back in the day.  Peanut Butter Cookies from the Buttery in Santa Cruz remind me of those cookies, big, chewy and peanutty. The recipe first printed by the LA times can be found via the blog, Ipso Fatto. What sets these cookies apart is rolling the dough in peanuts before baking.  It adds extra texture to an already buttery, salty, crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside cookie, double yums.  The recipe calls for pastry flour, I used White Lilly AP flour, a soft wheat flour found in the South (perks of having a kid in Nashville).  Used for biscuits, it has a lower protein content similar to pastry flour.  I also used a low sodium crunchy peanut butter, not a health conscious decision,  I just picked up the wrong jar at the market!  I did add some salt because of this, but I don’t think it is necessary, my batch was pretty salty.  I plan to use the low salt peanut butter and omit the extra salt next time.  For the sake of my waistline the days of eating giant cookies are over so  I rolled the dough into a 12-14 inch log with a diameter of 1-3/4 inches with each slice about 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick. This made approximately 2 dozen cookies.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.  If you like peanut butter cookies put this one on your need to bake list!

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Peanut Butter Cookies The Buttery

Ingredients

• Adapted from the LA Times and Ipso Fatto Blog
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon baker's sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 cup low salt chunky peanut butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups 6.4 ounces pastry flour or White Lily All purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts or honey roasted peanuts I used low salt peanuts)

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter over medium speed just until creamy. Add the sugars to the butter and cream together, careful not to over-mix. Scrape down the bowl to make sure the sugars and butter are evenly combined.
• Beat in the egg just until incorporated, then beat in the peanut butter, scraping down the bowl again after mixing.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, beating until smooth and the flour is evenly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, making sure the ingredients are combined and smooth.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a rough log, approximately 2 1/2 inches thick. Place the dough in a sheet of parchment paper and roll the dough in the paper so it is smooth and a consistent 2 1/2-inches thick throughout the log. The log will be about 9 inches long. If the dough is a little soft, chill in fridge for 15-30 minutes.
• Place the peanuts in a rimmed cookie sheet and gently roll the dough in the peanuts to coat on all sides. The peanuts should stick to the log; if they don't, brush the roll with a beaten egg, then roll it in the peanuts so they stick. Wrap the finished log in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the cookies into 1-inch-thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart, as the cookies will spread while they bake. Bake the cookies until set and browned around the edges, about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking for even coloring. Cool the cookies, still on the baking sheet, on a rack until set and cool enough to handle.
• Serve with an ice cold glass of milk!