(The Best) Peanut Butter Cookies

Hello!

It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve decided to go back to the ‘website world’. I’ve never been a tech-savvy person (The Boy would agree whole heartedly) and 2-3 years ago, I was up to my neck in work and commitments that, after a little bit of perspective, doesn’t seem to matter much anymore. A couple of reasons why I’ve decided to reboot this entire website for version 2:

1. My recipe book is a terrible mess. Okay I guess I can’t count it as a book when it’s actually just piles of notes in a box stashed in my room. I’m not exactly the neatest person, and the things I cook / bake don’t stem from 1 single recipe alone. It’s a mish-mash of opinions and trial and errors! It’s time I have somewhere I can kinda store my recipes and share with others what I’ve experienced so therefore TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE.

2. Much nagging from friends and family. I love you all very very much.

3. Perspective. Lots have changed since I’ve stirred up (hehe see what i did there?) a passion cooking. Things that I once thought were important aren’t anymore, and there are greater things I would like to chase.

SO anyway, to kick things of on a sweet note, there’s nothing to better to share than peanut butter cookies!!! Okay I sound overly excited, you may say, but well it’s only the best cookie recipe ever. No big deal.

Some reasons why it’s the best (just me trying to convince the haters):

1. 5 ingredients. THAT’S IT. (And one of the ingredients is actually the sea salt that you can sprinkle over them before popping them into the oven.)

2. It’s flourless. Not because i’m healthy and stuff (I’m far from it. I’m the kind of girl that feel that if you want to eat a cheesecake, eat a god-damn full cream cheesecake and enjoy it. Haters gonna hate), but because you simply just don't need flour for this cookies.

3. Peanut butter. That’s good enough reason

So my only request to you guys is to please bake it this weekend. And don’t you dare half the recipe because there’s no room for regret.

(Loosely adapted from both the Ovenly Cookbook, Smitten Kitchen and 3 trials from my own kitchen)

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

(Makes about 24 cookies, depending on your scoops)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (335 grams) of light brown sugar (coarse grained brown sugar works too)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

450 grams smooth/creamy peanut butter (Skippy works best for me!)

1 teaspoon sea salt, to finish

Optional Ingredient(s)

Macadamia nuts - toss it in to add more crunch to your cookie. Any other nuts will do based on your preference. Or if you prefer to go nut-less, that’s a-okay too!

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees / 350 F.

2. In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Then add in the vanilla extract and the peanut butter until smooth. It should feel somewhat like play-doh, but just a tad softer and malleable.

(Can everyone just appreciate the peanut butter waves and smoothness)

3. Freeze the dough for about 15-30 minutes, or place in the fridge for an hour. This makes the cookies keep their shape really well instead of become flattened while baking

4. Scoop the cookie dough balls (I used a #42 size scoop) onto the parchment paper - lined baking tray and sprinkle sea salt over the top

(Is there anything more perfect than these spheres?)

5. Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes or until golden at the edges. They will be soft when fresh out of the oven, so be patient and leave them to cool completely and they will set nicely.

6. Store them in air-tight containers and they’ll keep up to a week at room temperature

7. Eat them until you get a sore throat, and I will give you an MC if you consult me in the Emergency Department.

(With nuts)

(And this one without, from Trial #2 and for someone who didn't like macadamia that much)

Go forth and be peanut butter monsters! (:

XO,

Chloe