Cocoa-Cinnamon Peanut & Cookie Butter Cookies

May 22, 2014

Cocoa-Cinnamon Peanut & Cookie Butter Cookies | une gamine dans la cuisine

I'm relieved at the arrival of an eleventh hour spring. At last, lilac bushes are surrendering their ample lavender and linen bouquets to the verdant, slightly overgrown, grass. It's as if the bare trees awoke abruptly at 2am and realized the show had already started; by morning the chlorophyll had pulsed its way through their roots and sinuous branches, casting a beloved tropical ambiance around my color-starved yard.

As I write, there's a tenuous purring contentment humming through my ribs - my still-too-pale fingertips twitch with some long forgotten alchemy from another lifetime, under a different sun. The provocative nature of nature is exhilarating. My lawn mower and pruning sheers can rust in wait a while longer, for now I'll allow wild and untamed things to grow with adventurous abandon. 


Cocoa-Cinnamon Peanut & Cookie Butter Cookies | une gamine dans la cuisine


Aye, Cookies. Why not celebrate the arrival of a long lost season with cookies? I'm almost giddy with excitement about sharing these gems with you! Sorry it took so long to post - I snapped too many photos and had a difficult time landing on a chosen trio. The title sounds clunky to me but I wanted to include all the main characters.

Irresistibly chewy, soft and tender, this recipe is the oracle of peanut butter-laced cookies. Peanut butter takes center stage (cookie butter is a bit more reticent than its nutkin counterpart but you can still detect soft notes of ginger and cinnamon.) The cocoa is subtle enough to keep the cookies from becoming too chocolatey yet it still offers rich, smoldering undertones. Bliss, especially with a cup of strong, creamy coffee and the knowledge of a heaping bushel of warm days ahead.

{Note: if you can't find cookie butter, feel free to use all peanut butter instead.}

Cocoa-Cinnamon Peanut & Cookie Butter Cookies | une gamine dans la cuisine


Cocoa Peanut-Cookie Butter Cookies
makes about 20 med-large cookies

ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder (preferably aluminum free)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup cookie butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping
about 1/4 cup super-fine sugar (or regular granulated)


method
In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In stand mixer bowl, fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, cookie butter, melted butter, and both sugars until creamy & smooth (about 3-5 minutes on med-high speed). Add egg and vanilla extract; beat till combined.

Add flour/cocoa mixture and beat on low speed till just combined (try not to over-mix).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. For each cookie, measure out a heaping Tablespoonful of dough. {Note: mine weighed approximately 1.3 oz each.) Roll into balls and place onto prepared cookie sheet. When you've used up all the dough, cover sheet with plastic wrap (or foil) and refrigerate cookies overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place chilled cookie dough rounds onto new baking sheet, allowing for about 1 1/2" between each one. Sprinkle cookies with sugar and use the bottom of a glass to press down (gently!) until cookies are about 1/2" thick. Use the tines of a fork to make crisscross patterns. 

Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges are just beginning to set. {Note: my cookies were perfect at the 9 minute mark. They will continue to firm whilst cooling so try not to over-bake.} Remove sheet from oven and place onto a cooling rack. Cool for about 8-10 minutes before enjoying. xo

inspired, softly, by Ready for Dessert, by David Lebovitz

19 comments:

  1. Stunners, I want to curl up with at least four of these gems and watch the world go by. Your photos are perfection! :)

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  2. These cookies sound wonderful. I haven't found cookie butter yet, but you've given me a good reason to keep looking.

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  3. These cookies are definitely appropriate for celebrating... two of my favorite spreads in one place!

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  4. What a combo! I am going to make some of these during the winter for sure! Beautiful photographs :) x

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  5. I just bought Cookie butter..we drove almost 3 hrs to the new Trader Joe's in VT..
    You write so WELL !

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  6. Peanut butter cookies with a twist, how great!

    Spring is such a fleeting moment, enjoy it while it lasts!

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  7. Gorgeous cookies! A wonderful combination of flavors.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  8. I don't think I can ever have enough recipes with cookie butter in them. These look so delicious! Yay Spring!

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  9. This is a simply perfect cookie! So wish I had one, no I mean two right now. Enjoy the long holiday weekend!

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  10. Take as much time as you need...I am happy to wait. Your blog is so much fun.

    As always, I love your poetic commentary and could devour your pictures.

    You could post a recipe for soap chips and your descriptions and photos would make me want to eat them.

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  11. @Anon: Thank you for the lovely words! Should a bubbly mood strike, I shall endeavor to make the most effervescent soap chip post in all the nine realms. xo

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  12. Another beautiful post and recipe! Can't wait to make these.

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  13. Very nice cookies and wonderful pictures !

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  14. This makes me SO glad I can now find cookie butter in my tiny prairie town! I must make these soon!

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  15. Goodness!! Hooray for Spring AND for these cookies!!!! I would eat a dozen of these in one bite. GORGEOUS!

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  16. Beautiful, beautiful post Valerie. It always warms up the heart reading your words :)

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  17. sigh. let's be lazy bums, let our yards grow wild and nosh on cookies awhile longer, because idyllic spring days are meant to be savored.

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  18. Beautiful cookies - those flavors sound exquisite.

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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