Pan-Banging Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(12)
Ingredients
11-12 cookies
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) all purpose flour *see notes
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, room temp
- 1/2 cup (130g) creamy peanut butter *see notes
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dry roasted unsalted peanuts *see notes
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Preparation
Step 1
Line a large baking sheet with foil, dull side up (don’t use parchment paper or a silpat for this recipe).
Step 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3
In another small bowl, beat the large egg and mix in the vanilla and water. Set aside.
Step 4
Using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the room temperature butter and peanut butter until smooth (about 1-2 minutes on medium speed). Then mix in the sugar until combined.
Step 5
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it another mix.
Step 6
With the mixer running, pour in the egg mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix.
Step 7
Dump in the dry ingredients and mix on medium-low speed. Right before the dry ingredients are fully absorbed, toss in the chopped peanuts and mix until the flour disappears.
Step 8
Take the bowl off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and give it a light mix by hand, just to ensure it’s well combined. Don’t over mix.
Step 9
Allow the dough to rest uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 10
After the 20 minutes, scoop the dough into 3oz balls (equal to about 1/4 cup) and roll in your hands. *It’s important to make large cookies, otherwise the pan-banging method will not be as effective* Place 3-4 cookies on the baking sheet well spaced apart. They will spread quite a bit. Leave the rest of the cookie dough balls out at room temperature while the first batch bakes.
Step 11
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan and slam it against the counter or stove top about 5 times until the edge deflate. If your counter isn’t heat-safe, make sure to place something underneath the pan like another large baking pan or a stone cutting board.
Step 12
Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 2 minutes. Repeat the process. Continue baking in 2 minute intervals, banging between each, for a total bake time of about 16-18 minutes. Stop once the cookies have completely spread and the edges turn a very light golden brown.
Step 13
Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat the process with the rest of the cookies.
Step 14
These cookies are best served warm, so dig in! Otherwise, store the rest in a container at room temperature and pop a cookie in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds before eating.
Step 15
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Chef's notes
FLOUR – Make sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. Don’t shake it or pack it down into the cup and don’t scoop directly into the bag or container of flour. This will lead to too much flour in the dough, preventing the cookies from spreading as they should.
PEANUT BUTTER – For best results, use classic creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. I tested these with natural peanut butter as well and it didn’t make a huge difference, but there can be a lot of variability in natural nut butters. If you prefer natural, try to use one that’s more thick and creamy rather than fluid and drippy. This goes for any nut butter, whether you choose to use peanut butter or any other variety like almond or cashew.
PEANUTS – Use unsalted in order to have full control over the saltiness of these cookies. If you only have salted, use 1/4 tsp of salt in the recipe rather than 1/2 tsp. I prefer dry roasted, but nuts roasted in oil are also OK to use here.
