Peanut Butter Criss Cross Cookies

OK I know we're still all watching what we eat here, but for those of you who are bored of healthy food or blessed with lightning speed metabolism and don't need to worry about calories, I'm back on the wagon of posting fun sweets!  

These cookies are from Dorie Greenspan, my baking hero. I met her once and I honestly felt like I could die happy.  She is my go-to when it comes to dessert. 

We all know the beauty of mixing peanut butter and chocolate. I honestly would love to give a big "Holla!" to the person who invented that combo - they have made millions of people very happy. It's funny - normally, I don't like peanut butter cookies. Add chocolate? Bam. I'm nomnomnoming all over the place. 

These cookies are crisp on the edges with a wonderfully soft and chewy center. And of course, studded with little chocolate chips that make my heart jump with delight. 

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses
adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
pinch of grated nutmeg
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth) (I used crunchy Jif)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups chopped salted peanuts (I used honey roasted peanuts)

4 oz mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

about ½ cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon, for rolling

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts and chocolate chips. You’ll have a soft, pliable (mushable, actually) dough.

Pour the ½ cup of sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of a fork in sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction – you should have a flattened round of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When done, the cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let the cookies sit on the sheets for a minute before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

Storage:
The cookies will keep for at least 5 days in the cookie jar. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Comments

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I really wish I hadn’t seen this as I really want one now!