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Earth Balance Buttery Sticks Cookies

Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert, Recipes

Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

November 3, 2024

These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies bake up golden brown and delightfully crispy. The perfect balance of peanut butter and melty chocolate makes these cookies irresistible.

A few simple ingredients will have you have you on your way to some of the best homemade cookies.

You can add extra chocolate chips and crunchy honey roasted peanuts to make these extra decadent and snazzy looking. Add them as soon as the cookies emerge from the oven. Or simply leave them unadorned, plain and simple for that classic peanut butter cookie look.

These are delicious once they cool off a bit and the chocolate has time to set. They keep well in the freezer where they are close at hand for those sudden cookie cravings.

Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

24

servings

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Edition blog

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1/2 cup (113g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75g) packed light brown sugar

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter such as Skippy or Jif

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup (50g) granulated sugar for rolling (optional)

  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, honey roasted peanuts split in half (optional for decorating)

Directions

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Using a hand mixer cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat on medium high until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add peanut butter and vanilla, then beat on medium high until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and soft. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 2 days. If chilling longer than a few hours, allow the dough to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling and baking as the dough will be quite firm and the cookies may not spread.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Scoop dough and roll into 24 balls (about 38g each for 3-inch cookies). Roll balls in 1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional). Place 12 balls on each cookie sheet. Flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a bowl or use a fork to make a crosshatch pattern.
  • Bake one sheet at a time for 16-17 minutes or until nicely browned. It may take up to 18 minutes depending on your oven. These cookies turn out crispy. If you prefer a softer center, bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.
  • As soon as the cookies are done baking, press in a few extra chocolate chips and/or peanuts while the cookies are still warm and a bit soft (optional). Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Notes

  • This recipe makes 2 dozen 3-inch cookies. Double the recipe for larger cookies, up to 60 grams each.
Cookies, Dessert, Holiday Treats, Lactose Free, Recipes

Hawaiian-Style Gingerbread Cookies

December 19, 2023

These cuties are a real treat that I make just once a year. Christmas is close, but you still have time to whip up a small (or large) batch of these crunchy gingerbread cookies. Decorating the cookies is a blast! Both children and adults will be delighted to receive a homemade gingerbread cookie this holiday season.

Through the years of making these cookies I have used several different recipes. This recipe makes delicious cookies that are thin and crispy. It’s a large recipe that will make approximately 45 cookies depending on the size of cookie cutter used. This year I tried Sally’s recipe that uses unsalted butter instead of shortening (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks to make it lactose free) and a larger amount of spices. It makes just about 22 gingerbread cookies which is exactly what I wanted this year. The cookies turned out great. I rolled them out a bit thinner than the recipe calls for and baked them longer so that my cookies would be crispy all the way through. If you prefer softer cookies roll them out as the original recipe instructs you to. When rolled out a bit thinner, they turned out to be similar in texture to the original recipe I used in the past so either option works great. Just keep in mind that the dough for both recipes needs to be refrigerated overnight to firm up before rolling out. Kudos to Sally for her always reliable recipes!

As mentioned in this post, I used pasteurized egg whites for the icing in the past. Last year I discovered (late in the game) meringue powder. It’s easier to use and can be easily stored for more cookies next year.

I hope you have the chance to make a small batch of these adorable cookies this holiday season.

Mele Kalikimaka from my kitchen to yours.

Hawaiian-Style Gingerbread Cookies
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Hawaiian-Style Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

22

servings

Recipes adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction blog

Ingredients

  • 440g (3 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour (if you do not have a scale use the spoon and level method to measure the flour) + more for rolling

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (use a scant 1/2 teaspoon if using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks as they contain some salt)

  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 145g (10 tablespoons) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 150g (3/4 cup) packed light or dark brown sugar

  • 200g (2/3 cup) unsulphured molasses such as Brer Rabbit or Grandma’s brand)

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Royal Icing & Decorating

  • 240g (2 cups) powdered sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder

  • 5 tablespoons room temperature water

  • Assorted sugar sprinkles

  • Currants for gingerbread cookie eyes

Directions

  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all of the spices. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium-high until combined and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg and vanilla on high speed for a full 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. You may use a firm spatula if the dough is too thick for the hand mixer. Once the ingredients are combined, divide the dough (it will be very soft) into 3 even portions and place on separate pieces of plastic wrap and wrap tightly patting gently to form into disk shapes. Transfer disks to a ziplock bag. Chill dough thoroughly for at lest 4 hours and preferably overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the middle and lower third level (just below the middle). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Meanwhile, place the dough disks in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will make rolling and cutting the cookies much easier if you are making thin and crispy cookies or if you live in a warm climate.
  • Place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and flour it generously. Remove 1 disk from the freezer and place on the parchment paper. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the top of the dough disk as well as the rolling pin. For thin cookies roll dough just under 1/4-inch. For softer cookies roll dough 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes and transfer to the baking sheets leaving 2-inches of space between them. Transfer dough scraps to the freezer to firm up.
  • Transfer the cookie sheets to the oven racks (positioned as mentioned above) and bake for 12-14 minutes for crispy cookies (cookies larger than 4-inches), rotating cookie sheets from front to back as well as switching shelves halfway through baking time. For smaller cookies bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. For thinner cookies check doneness after they have baked for 11 minutes as oven temperatures can vary quite a bit. For smaller cookies check after they have baked for 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Continue with the remaining dough. Decorate cookies once they are completely cool. I make my cookies up to 3 weeks in advance and freeze until I am ready to pass them out.
  • Royal Icing & Decorating Cookies
  • Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl with high sides. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed for 1 1/2-2 minutes. If the icing is too thin, add more sugar and if too thick, add a bit of water. This recipe will make enough icing for 35+ medium sized cookies. If you plan to decorate with minimal icing on your cookies, cut the recipe in half.
  • Transfer icing to a small plastic squeeze bottle for easy application and outlining. Use various colors of sprinkles to make your cookies look fantastic! Allow icing to set completely before transferring cookies to storage containers. Freezing is the best method to keep cookies fresh if not passing out the day they are baked.
Cookies, Dessert, Lactose Free, Recipes

AK Cookies

September 15, 2018

AK Cookies

I’m always looking for new, interesting cookies. I stumbled upon these AK Cookies in the late and lamented Lucky Peach magazine.  The ingredients seemed like ordinary items you might have in your pantry and I loved the idea of adding shredded coconut to the dough.  Turns out these are more than just your ordinary cookies with chocolate, oatmeal and nuts.  The coconut adds the je ne sais quoi that turns on otherwise common cookie into something special.   This is a cookie that is equally appropriate with your morning coffee or served for dessert along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Shredded Coconut, Walnuts, Oatmeal, Chocolate

The curious name of the cookie appears to be a play on the place where Peter Meehan and his wife Hannah Clark first had these cookies while visiting friends in Anchorage, Alaska (hence AK). Whatever the name, these are cookie perfection.  There is an ideal combination of nuts, coconut, oatmeal, and chocolate in each bite.

AK Cookie Dough

If you want to make bigger cookies, by all means go for it.  The recipe calls for using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to make squash ball sized dough rounds. I used my Oxo Good Grips medium cookie scoop to make 40 smaller cookies. These guys freeze well.

AK Cookies

AK Cookies
 
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Adapted from Hannah Clark, Lucky Peach Magazine
Author:
Serves: 40
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or unsalted butter)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (1 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1 12-ounce bag semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (dark chocolate for lactose free)
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the Buttery Sticks and sugars on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale tan and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for another 4 minutes. Add the dry ingredients in order, mixing them in on low speed, just until each is incorporated into the dough.
  3. Use a medium scoop (I use Oxo) or a larger one for bigger cookies, to scoop all the dough onto a cookie pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking.
  4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, space them well on a parchment-lined cookie pan (or use a Silpat) and bake for about 10 - 12 minutes. Bigger cookies will take a little longer to bake. Test cookies after 10 minutes of baking. They should be deep golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. The cookies are best when fully cooled.

 

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