Eat in Albany

Peanut butter cookies with a little extra, thanks to Saratoga Peanut Butter Company’s Adirondack Jack peanut butter. Adirondack Jack is a deeply nutty, slightly crunchy blend of peanut and almond butters, with bits of red cranberries, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, clover honey, and cinnamon. At $10 a jar it’s a splurge to be sure, but it’s a really easy way to subtly dress up an old standard.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour, stir before measuring
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup Saratoga Peanut Butter Company’s Adirondack Jack peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a medium size bowl fork-mix flour, salt, and baking powder. You could sift it together if you’re feeling super fussy, but just using a fork works fine for me.
• In a separate bowl cream together peanut butter, butter/shortening, vanilla, and both kinds of sugar.
• Add the egg and extra yolk to the peanut butter mixture.
• Gradually add the flour mix into the peanut butter mixture.
• Place 1 inch balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave space, as these will spread a bit.
• Flatten the balls slightly. For a traditional look use a fork, leaving crossed tine marks on top.
• Bake for about 10 minutes.

Since Adirondack Jack is a bit thin to start with, this recipe makes a pretty wet dough. Some recipes for peanut butter cookies suggest you chill or freeze the dough for a couple of hours to set it, but who has time for that? Not me! Just ball the dough up gingerly using your fingertips, and keep the dough in the fridge between batches so it doesn’t get too melty and you’ll be fine.