Monday, December 6, 2010

SUNNY'S HOLIDAY PB & J THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup turbinado or raw cane sugar (recommended: Sugar in the Raw)
1/3 cup strawberry preserves

Directions
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and blend all ingredients on medium-high until creamy. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, pushing everything back towards the center. Then add the vanilla, egg, and salt and blend until combined. Lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour in 1/2 cup intervals. Between each addition be sure to completely blend in all the flour and scrape the sides again as before. Once completely combined, scrape the dough out of the mixer and add to a container with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

HEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F.

Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and, using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and roll into a ball between your hands. Then roll the formed ball in the turbinado sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the balls, making sure to separate them on the sheet by about 1-inch.

Once all the balls are on the baking sheet, make an indentation in the center of each using the rounded end of a wooden spoon, the back of a rounded teaspoon, or your good old fashioned thumb. Fill the center of each with about 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry preserves. Bake for 12 minutes and remove to a wire rack. Let cool before serving.

Yields about 36 cookies.

Cook's Note: Try chopping roasted peanuts and adding them to the sugar before rolling out all the balls or add green food coloring to the sugar to make the cookies even more festive!

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