Peanut Butter Cookies
This cookie dough is much softer than that of all the other cookie recipes in this book. Fear not: although there is a different ratio of butter to peanut butter to glucose, because peanut butter behaves differently than regular butter in baking recipes, this will yield the same crunchy-on-the-outside, fudgy-in-the-center Milk Bar cookie, I promise. Make sure your brittle is ground down to the size of short-grain rice or the consistency and texture of your cookie will be off.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 15 to 20 cookies
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the butter, sugar, and glucose in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Paddle in the peanut butter, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. During this time the sugar granules will dissolve and the creamed mixture will double in size. (The lower proportion of butter and the presence of peanut butter—which is a great emulsifier—means you don’t need to do the standard 10-minute creaming for this cookie.)
Step 2
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk over mixing the dough.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 3
Still on low speed, mix in the peanut brittle until incorporated, no more than 30 seconds.
Step 4
Using a 2 3/4-ounce ice cream scoop (or a 1/3-cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or for up to 1 week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature—they will not bake properly.
Step 5
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Step 6
Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be tan with auburn specks throughout. Give them an extra minute or so if that’s not the case.
Step 7
Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or an airtight container for storage. At room temp, cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.
