Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

If, according to Camelot, the month of May is lusty, it's definitely now the lazy month of June. Finally. The atmosphere is dewy, and humid, and languid. The various spaces around me are dripping with aromas of fresh-cut grass, fuchsia hydrangea - and, thanks to a delicate green rainfall, wet earth (one of my favourite scents in the entire universe). After a never ending winter and chilly spring, it's nice to finally feel a temperature that's aligned with the calender.

Peanut butter cookies also make me extremely happy - especially when they're soft, chewy, and not reticent about showing off their main ingredient. This recipe is the first of many I'll be making from the brand new cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort, by fellow food blogger (and fabulous baker) Averie Sunshine. These are were the best p.b. cookies I have ever made. I don't know if it's the splash of cream or the healthy amount of vanilla extract, but there is something special about this recipe...a certain panache that other peanut butter cookies lack. I would share these ravishing peanut butter deities with Tom Hiddleston; during an impromptu Wednesday afternoon picnic by a lake with a name neither one of is sure how to pronounce.

With the exception of tossing in a bit of espresso powder, I pretty much followed the original recipe (why mess with perfection?). If you're a peanut butter fanatic, you'll fall head over heels in love with these cookies, and with Averie's book!

Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

makes about 25-30 cookies

from Peanut Butter Comfort, by Averie Sunshine

ingredients

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 Tablespoon espresso powder (optional)

1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/4 cup tightly packed, light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cream or milk (I used half & half)

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 large, room temperature, egg

method

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using). Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, cream, and vanilla. Beat on med-high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for about 30 seconds - until just incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. {Note: I let mine chill for 6 hours.}

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Using a small cookie scoop, form the dough into balls and place them onto the prepared sheets, allowing about 2-inches of space between each cookie. {Note: Each of my cookies weighed approximately .23 grams.} Slightly flatten each ball of dough with the tines of a lightly-floured fork, creating a crisscross pattern.

Bake for 7-8 minutes - do not exceed 9 minutes. The tops should look underdone - they will firm up as the cookies cool. {My cookies were Perfect after only 7 minutes.} Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for about 10 minutes before removing transferring to a cooling rack.

Fantastic recipe, Averie! Thank you!! xo