Peanut Butter Cookies

– makes about 2 dozen cookies –

Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.
Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter they recommend Skippy but I use natural
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts, ground fine in a food processor
Procedure

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugars together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, three to six minutes. Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the ground peanuts until incorporated.

4. Working with three tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about two inches apart. Use a fork dipped in water to impress a crosshatch design on top of the cookies. Bake until the edges are golden and the centers have puffed and are beginning to deflate, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

6. The dough can be made ahead through step three and either covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to three days, or portioned out and frozen make the crosshatch design before freezing. When ready to bake, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and increase the baking time to 17 to 22 minutes.

Credit: Serious Eats