Peanut butter cookies

I don’t often bake cookies, mainly because I end up scoffing them all but on this occasion, that wasn’t an option. I made these for a Macmillan coffee morning at work so only ate 2… Okay 5… Okay 6 but that still left 20 to sell so don’t make me feel bad… Okay so then I ate 4 more at the coffee morning but I paid £5 for those so they don’t count.
This is why I tend not to bake cookies… or cakes… or bread… or sticky toffee pudding… or garlic butter, (not that you bake garlic butter) mmm, garlic butter. I recently polished off a whole ramekin of garlic butter with one dough ball to my boyfriends utter disgust.
In any case, when I’m not busy embarrassing my other half in Pizza Express, you’ll find me in the kitchen creating recipes (usually healthy ones) so I love the opportunity to basically spoon a whole jar of peanut butter into something. Soft, chewy and incredible moorish (as we have already established) these cookies are more cakey in texture and sweet without being sickly (explains how I managed to eat ten of them). Enjoy!

Peanut butter cookies
Makes 24-26 / Hands on time 30 mins / Total time 40 mins plus cooling / V ❄
You’ll need: Stand mixer or hand mixer
180g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g golden caster sugar
180g smooth peanut butter (you can use crunchy if you prefer)
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
260g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt flakes

TIP: This recipe is easily halved and makes 14 cookies. If making half the dough, use a hand whisk instead of a standing mixer and whisk an egg in a separate bowl and add half (roughly 2 tablespoons). 

Method
1. Preheat an oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4 and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Beat the softened butter in a bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, using the beater attachment until smooth. Scrape down the sides with a spoon, add 200g of golden caster sugar and beat again until combined and fluffy.
2. Scrape down the sides again before adding 180g of smooth peanut butter (you can use crunchy if you prefer). Beat again until combined. Scrape down the sides and add the vanilla essence and the egg. Beat until fully incorporated.
3. Add 260g self raising flour, a generous pinch of salt and mix again slowly at first to prevent flour flying everywhere. As the mixture combines, up the speed until fully incorporated. You should be left with a smooth dough.
4. Cook the cookies in two batches – I tend to bake half and freeze half for another day (see below for freezing instructions).

To freeze: Roll the cookie dough into a sausage and wrap well in clingfilm. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost the dough fully before using. 

Using your hands, take a small handful of dough and roll into a ball roughly the size of a quails egg – you should be able to fit 12-14 cookies on the 2 lined baking trays. Place each ball on the baking tray at least 5cm apart to prevent them bleeding into each other.
5. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern before sprinkling over a small amount of sea salt over the cookies. Bake in the oven, on the middle shelf, for 10-12 mins. You want your cookies to brown ever so slightly around the edges but still be quite light in colour (this keeps them soft and chewy). If you prefer a crunchier biscuit, bake them a few minutes longer.
6. Leave to cool on the baking trays for a few minutes before carefully transferring onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving. Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian  ❄– The cookie dough is suitable for home freezing. Roll the cookie dough into a sausage and wrap well in clingfilm. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost the dough fully before using.