Nancy Silverton's infamous life-changing peanut butter cookie...didn't.

marilynfl

Moderator
So let's be honest: saddling a common cookie with a name that includes "life-changing" is setting the bar pretty high. It's like naming your child Moon Unit Zappa and not expecting her to get bullied at school.

I was already very happy with Michael in Phoenix's PB cookie as well as Dahlia's filled PB cookie. But when a respected chef (I already have two of Nancy's cookbooks) grabs my attention, I just had to try them.

Sadly, this PB cookie did not clear the bar for me.

First off I had to run around looking for sorghum flour and eventually found it in a local health food store ( it's GF). Then she specifies raw Spanish peanuts, which you have to order online, then add oil and lots of salt and bake those. Phillip's Screw that...I just went with a jar of salted spanish peanuts and skipped that whole process.

She also adds salt everywhere. In the peanut step, in the dough and finally as a finishing touch. Too much for me...I skipped the final finishing flakey salt.

Her cookie from the cover is on the left: mine (with blister peanuts and canned Spanish peanuts) is on the right.

PB NS.jpg PB mine.jpg

The recipe is here if you want it: Nancy Silverton’s Peanut Butter Cookies

PS: If you want another indicator: I baked 16 cookies, tried one, then took the rest to the library--where the staff is mostly twenty-ish year old college students. And it took them SIX DAYS to finish up the container. Usually, my baked goods are gone the next day. If I wasn't already sure I wouldn't make these again, this was the nail in the coffin.
 
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Marilyn, I clicked on your link and went out to read Nancy Silverton's PB Cookie recipe. There was one comment at its end which I'll copy and paste below. That baker also agrees with you!

kshigrey
JANUARY 26, 2024 AT 9:14 PM
2 stars
I made these…exactly as printed. I do NOT think they’re worth the hype. The cooking time is off (yes, my oven is calibrated), and the actual cookie (which is very delicate) is totally overwhelmed by the goop of pb and peanuts in the middle. I love peanut butter with all my heart, but after these, I think I might need a break from it for the first time in my life.
 
Here ya go:

From Michael in Phoenix:
REC: Big, Super-Nutty Peanut Butter Cookies. These are the best I've ever had, and...

...I make them at Christmas each year, and for my friend who loves them any time of the year.

BIG, SUPER-NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

Bringing the butter, peanut butter, and eggs to room temperature makes it easier to blend the ingredients. Be sure to grind the peanuts, since whole, and even chopped peanuts tend to slip out of the dough. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon. Keep finished cookies refrigerated in airtight container. To restore just-baked chewiness, wrap a cookie in a sheet of paper towel and microwave for approximately 25 seconds. Cool before serving.

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), salted
1 cup (7 ounces) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter, preferably Jif
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs, about 14 pulses (about 1 cup, packed)

1. Adjust oven rack to low center position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

2. In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts; stir gently until just incorporated.

3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into large balls, placing them 2 inches apart on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Press each dough ball with back of dinner fork dipped in cold water to make crisscross design. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 10 to 12 minutes (they will not look fully baked). Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 7 days.

From Cook's Illustrated

Enjoy!

Michael

 
I think it was Michael that mentioned Blister Peanuts---if not, I'm sorry, because I curse Michael every time I buy a bag of those at Trader Joes and can't stop eating them. These are the peanuts I use when I make this cookie. Also, I keep hearing the phrase "SKIP the rest" as a recommendation to use SKIPPY peanut butter. Can't remember who put that earworm in my head.
 
Here ya go:

From Michael in Phoenix:
REC: Big, Super-Nutty Peanut Butter Cookies. These are the best I've ever had, and...

...I make them at Christmas each year, and for my friend who loves them any time of the year.

BIG, SUPER-NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

Bringing the butter, peanut butter, and eggs to room temperature makes it easier to blend the ingredients. Be sure to grind the peanuts, since whole, and even chopped peanuts tend to slip out of the dough. If using unsalted butter, increase salt to 1 teaspoon. Keep finished cookies refrigerated in airtight container. To restore just-baked chewiness, wrap a cookie in a sheet of paper towel and microwave for approximately 25 seconds. Cool before serving.

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), salted
1 cup (7 ounces) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter, preferably Jif
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs, about 14 pulses (about 1 cup, packed)

1. Adjust oven rack to low center position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

2. In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts; stir gently until just incorporated.

3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into large balls, placing them 2 inches apart on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Press each dough ball with back of dinner fork dipped in cold water to make crisscross design. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 10 to 12 minutes (they will not look fully baked). Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 7 days.

From Cook's Illustrated

Enjoy!

Michael

Thank you Marilyn. I did a search and couldn't find them. There are times when I just really want a cookie. (and a martini, but not together)
 
So let's be honest: saddling a common cookie with a name that includes "life-changing" is setting the bar pretty high. It's like naming your child Moon Unit Zappa and not expecting her to get bullied at school.

I was already very happy with Michael in Phoenix's PB cookie as well as Dahlia's filled PB cookie. But when a respected chef (I already have two of Nancy's cookbooks) grabs my attention, I just had to try them.

Sadly, this PB cookie did not clear the bar for me.

First off I had to run around looking for sorghum flour and eventually found it in a local health food store ( it's GF). Then she specifies raw Spanish peanuts, which you have to order online, then add oil and lots of salt and bake those. Phillip's Screw that...I just went with a jar of salted spanish peanuts and skipped that whole process.

She also adds salt everywhere. In the peanut step, in the dough and finally as a finishing touch. Too much for me...I skipped the final finishing flakey salt.

Her cookie from the cover is on the left: mine (with blister peanuts and canned Spanish peanuts) is on the right.

View attachment 2690 View attachment 2695

The recipe is here if you want it: Nancy Silverton’s Peanut Butter Cookies

PS: If you want another indicator: I baked 16 cookies, tried one, then took the rest to the library--where the staff is mostly twenty-ish year old college students. And it took them SIX DAYS to finish up the container. Usually, my baked goods are gone the next day. If I wasn't already sure I wouldn't make these again, this was the nail in the coffin.
Thanks for the review. It seemed like a lot of work without much promise, glad to know I can skip this one. Thxs
 
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