Peanut Butter-Miso Cookies

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

I have a tendency to be self-critical, especially when it comes to my baking.

So I have a new rule: I cannot claim that something “isn’t that good” if I also can’t stop eating it. Such is the case for these cookies.

As I hovered over the cooling rack nibbling away, I kept saying, “I don’t know, I feel like it’s not that special — the miso could be stronger? Well, actually, it balances the peanut really nicely, and it’s a good salt level… Maybe more nuts? No, I like the creamy chewiness of the center; that’s really nice, actually… Perhaps more sesame? Ah, but, it walks that line of savory and sweet so wonderfully right now…but, I mean, it’s not that good…” and as I stood there critiquing it, suddenly the cookie was gone!

I had to eat a second cookie to continue my criticisms, at which point I realized that yes, would ginger possibly be a delicious addition? Sure. Might I add some paprika next time? Maybe! But are they also wonderful and comforting and scrumptious and special just as they are? Absolutely.

This playful riff on the classic peanut butter cookie comes to us from New York Times Cooking’s Krysten Chambrot, though I’ve modified it just a smidge. By cutting back on the sugar in the actual dough, the nuttiness of the peanuts and creaminess and complexity of the miso shine through while letting the Demerara sugar literally sparkle. I also added some black sesame seeds to really embrace that savory-sweet energy, and may I just say: I should have been a tight-rope walker because that balance is impeccable.

Peanut Butter-Miso Cookies (adapted, just barely, from New York Times Cooking’s Krysten Chambrot)

Ingredients:

• 1 + 3/4 cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (115 grams, or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) white miso paste
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) chunky peanut butter (I used a natural variety of crunchy peanut butter, the kind that separates and contains only peanuts and salt, but I’m sure any kind of peanut butter would do)
• 1 large egg
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (105 grams) Demerara sugar (Demerara sugar is a form of raw sugar, so it has nice, large, crunchy grains for coating your cookie; however, if you don’t happen to have any on hand, brown or granulated sugar should also work)
• Black sesame seeds (to taste)

Protocol:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the miso and peanut butter to the mixing bowl, and continue to mix at medium speed, about 1 minute. Scrap downsides of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated, and mix just a bit more if needed.
4. Add egg and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined.
5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix at low speed until the flour mixture is incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in two batches until all of it is incorporated.
6. In a small bowl, combine your 1/2 cup Demerara sugar and as many black sesame seeds as you like (I just dashed in a few generous dashes).
7. Working one at a time, scoop out about 2 heaping tablespoons of dough (roughly 50 grams per cookie), and roll each portion between your hands until it is nice and round. (If your dough is too soft to roll, you can pop the mixing bowl in the fridge for a couple of minutes to let the dough firm up slightly). This makes for a slightly larger cookie than I usually default to, but don’t be tempted to make them much smaller: with this size, you manage to get both crispy edges and a chewy center. Magic.
8. Roll each ball of dough in the Demerara sugar-black sesame seed mix until the entire little nugget of deliciousness is coated.
9. Transfer each ball to a parchment-lined baking sheet, arranging them about 3 inches apart. Repeat with all of the dough.
10. Refrigerate for 2 hours and up to overnight. Note: Even 15 minutes of fridge time help the dough firm up and the flavors meld. The longer the dough is chilled, the more mellow the flavors will be. I baked mine at around 3 hours and was very pleased.
11. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies for about 10–15 minutes, until crisp at the edges and puffed in the middle. They should still be a bit underdone in the center. 10–15 minutes is a wider range than you usually see for cookies, but this recipe includes another few minutes baking after we thwack our cookies against the counter, so you want to be careful about not overbaking these babies.
12. Pull out the baking sheet and hit it against/drop it onto the counter. Why so violent? You’ll see how this visibly knocks the air out and makes for a more tender, chewy final cookie, more flattened and crinkly and less puffy in the middle — but oh so delicious.
13. After this light thwacker, place back into the oven to finish baking for 2–4 minutes. When cookies are firm at the edges and slightly puffed in the center, pull them out, again and again, hit the baking sheet against the counter. The cookies should appear flat and crinkly at the center.
14. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container; they should retain their chewy texture for a few days.

Happy snacking!