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Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Caramel

Adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet Instead of making the peanut caramel filling, you could fill the holes with chocolate ganache, dulce de leche, or even a spoonful of jam. Concord grape jelly would be especially fun, for the peanut butter & jelly effect. I also didn’t have salted peanuts (really…I’m not just hoarding them, like my natural peanut butter), and used plain roasted peanuts and added a sprinkle of fleur de sel over the cookies, just after I filled them with the peanut caramel. Yum!

For the cookie dough

  • 8 tablespoons (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (200g) creamy salted peanut butter, (see Note)
  • 1 3/4 cups (250g) flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the salted peanut caramel

  • 1 cup (250l) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) water
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon glucose or, light corn syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped roasted salted peanuts
  • optional: 4 ounces bittersweetsemisweet, or milk chocolate, melted
  • Preheat the oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • With an electric mixer, or by hand, make the cookie dough by beating the butter, brown and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. If using an electric mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Beat in the peanut butter.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and stir until there are no patches of flour.
  • 5. Scoop up tablespoon-sized portions of the dough (Cindy, and I, recommend using a small ice cream or cookie scooper, to make it easier) and roll each piece between your hands so they’re as smooth as possible so they don’t crack at the edges when performing the next step.
  • Space them 1 1/2-inches (2 cm) apart on the baking sheets, then use the rounded end of a wooden spoon, or your thumb, to make a depression in each one. Don’t worry much if the sides crack; push them back together.
  • Bake the cookies for 13-16 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during cooking, until they are light-golden brown and the edges barely start to darken. Remove from oven, and while they’re warm, press in to reinforce each depression with the end of the wooden spoon. Let cool completely.
  • Make the salted peanut caramel by warming the cream in a saucepan or microwave, and setting it aside.
  • Cook the water, 1 cup sugar, corn syrup, and salt to a caramel, gently swirling the pan only if necessary (to ensure it melt and cooks evenly) until it turns a nice golden brown.
  • Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the hot cream in a slow, steady stream.
  • Cool until warm and pourable, then add the chopped peanuts. Spoon some of the caramel into each cookie, letting it set for about an hour, if you want to drizzle them with chocolate.

Notes

Storage: Cookies will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. The unbaked dough can be rolled into rounds and stored in a heavy-duty freezer bag in the refrigerator or freezer, until ready to bake.
Note: For best results, use regular smooth peanut butter, if available.