There is really nothing like a good peanut butter cookie. It strikes as an almost savory indulgence—nutty, salty, chewy, crunchy, and most of all, balanced. I have always been a fervent fan of any treat or dish involving peanut butter, but most recently, my preference has taken a new spin, wherein I really just want a spoonful with a dash of date syrup. It is a completely unbelievable combination, and never again will I turn to honey when there is a deeper, more nuanced sweet note to enjoy alongside.
Anyway—this new snack inspired me to concoct a cookie! I used the peanut butter honey cookie from the latest Tartine cookbook (Elisabeth Prueitt) as a loose recipe guide, and may tweak it in the future to involve more date syrup or actual dates. But for the moment, these have really hit the spot. A few more notes—I have always added toasted pecans to my peanut butter cookies to compound the nutty component without being redundant, and add texture. I also used some buckwheat flour in addition to all-purpose. The result is a tender, delicately chewy center and crisp edges. Whether you’re a peanut butter fiend or not, these are hard to resist!
Peanut Butter Pecan Cookies
yields two dozen 3” cookies
180 g (1 1/2 c) all-purpose flour
90 g (3/4 c) buckwheat flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t kosher salt
90 g (3/4 c) pecans, toasted & coarsely chopped
200 g (1 c, lightly packed) dark brown sugar
115 g (1/2 c) unsalted butter, at room temp
115 g (scant 1/2 cup) peanut butter
2 T date syrup
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 T milk
1 T vanilla
additional 1/4 t salt + 50 g (1/4 c) granulated sugar, for coating
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then whisk in the cooled pecans.
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, peanut butter, and date syrup until light and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, mix well before stopping and scraping the sides again, then add the yolk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl before mixing briefly mixing again, to ensure it’s evenly incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined; remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides/bottom. Wrap the dough in plastic or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate, preferably overnight or at least 2 hours (up to 2 days, freeze beyond that).
When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 F and 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the additional salt and sugar in a small bowl.
Scoop dough into 2” balls and toss in the sugar mixer before placing 2” apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten with the tines of a fork in criss-cross pattern. Chill cookie sheet in either refrigerator or freezer for about 5 minutes before placing in middle rack of oven. Immediately turn down the oven to 350 F.
Bake until edges begin to take on color, and the centers are still soft and just set, about 12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool and enjoy!!
