brown butter peanut butter cookies

Ever since this little experiment, I have a problem. No, not that I decided not to bake with chocolate chips anymore. Nor do I let the butter in my fridge talk me into anything anymore. I am obsessed with browning butter. Yes, you heard me. Browning butter. (I also get an odd amount of joy from creaming butter by hand, so it's really a win-win no matter which route I choose.)  But browning butter? It's wildly convenient. It's fun to do. Oh yeah, and it makes some uniquely delicious baked goods. 

Naturally, then, when a friend asks for peanut butter cookies, I invent a recipe that uses brown butter. Maybe I have too much pride, but I feel like anything can use brown butter (at least, it won't hurt to try it...well, maybe on second thought, it might hurt your waistline.) Regardless, I was pretty pleased with the outcome of this recipe.

The cookies came out moist, and with a great nutty flavor. What better combination than the nutty flavor from the browned butter and actual peanut butter? I read a few recipes/blogs that said that natural peanut butter (we all know the devil on my shoulder is Natural Jif) is bad to bake with, but I think Natural Jif is a safe choice. It's the only "natural" peanut butter that doesn't have the oil sediment on top of it, so the joke's on you, Jif. Although, I'm not complaining, because I personally find salty/oily peanut butter repulsive.


Okay, I'm getting off the topic here.  Cookies.  Right.  Make these.

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

from yours truly

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ tsp salt

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon honey
¼ cup milk
1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown the butter in a medium saucepan and add to the sugars. Set aside and allow mixture to cool for about ten minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Once butter is cooled, add peanut butter and honey and beat on medium speed just until smooth. Beat in egg. Mix in milk.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix just until dough comes together.
5. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least two hours or up to overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
7. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten by pressing down with a fork, while holding sides of cookie in order to maintain circular shape. Press fork into cookie again in a perpendicular angle to first indentation, forming a crosshatch pattern.
8. Bake until cookies begin to brown around edges, but centers still look somewhat doughy, about 9-10 minutes.
9. Immediately upon removing from oven, sprinkle sugar on tops of cookies and let cool on baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes about 40 cookies.