Remix: Peanut Butter Cookies

When I say peanut butter cookies, I know what you're thinking:

(peanut butter + sugar + eggs) * oven = cookie

Well, it's time to rethink the peanut butter cookie. The original recipe came from Alice Medrich's book, Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-Mouth Cookies. I made two batches--one was exactly as she specified in her book, the other with my own addition. Mine won, hands down.

These are the originals, with chopped peanuts on top

The cookie itself is crispy but gets stuck in your teeth like cotton candy. The Reese's Peanut Butter Cup I snuck in the middle? The chocolate and peanut butter melt and stick to your tongue. It's an incredible play of textures.

The best part? The cookie is only 50 calories.

You'll burn off at least 2 cookies if you whisk by hand.

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Peanut Butter Surprises

makes 30-35 cookies

adapted from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

Equipment

whisk + really strong arm OR electric mixer OR stand mixer

bowl

measuring cups OR scale+1 measuring spoon

rubber spatula (OR something similar)

parchment paper

2 baking trays

plastic bag OR pastry bag OR spoon

oven

Ingredients

3 egg whites

0.125t cream of tartar

4.60 oz sugar (2/3c)

3oz chunky all-natural peanut butter (1/3c)

2 bags Reese's Minis (they come in bags and are pre-unwrapped)

chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl and whisk/beat until the eggs are white and the consistency of soft whipped cream.

2. Add a few tablespoons of sugar at a time, continuing to whisk, until all the sugar is added, the whites are shiny and hold a fairly stiff peak. (If you're using an electric mixer, go for very stiff peaks. My arm got tired.)

3. Scatter bits of your peanut butter over the top of the egg whites and fold it slowly and gently into the egg white mixture. It won't be perfectly mixed, and the more you mix the droopier your cookies will be.

4. Place the Reese's Mini right-side up onto baking trays lined with parchment paper, about 3 inches apart.

5. Fill your plastic bag or pastry bag with the meringue, snip off a corner (use a tip if you'd like) and pipe the meringue into a cookie shape completely covering each peanut butter cup. If you want, sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. 

6. Bake the meringue for 1.5 hours at 200°F (you're really just drying them out). After 1.5 hours, take one out, let it cool for 5 minutes, and check to see if it's dry and crisp. If so, turn off the oven and let the meringues hang out in there with the door ajar for 15-20 minutes (or however long you can wait before digging in). If not, bake for 10-15 more minutes and then check again.

They probably won't last long enough to get moist and sticky (ours didn't) but just in case, keep them in a dry airtight container as soon as they're cool. They'll keep for a while.

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I got a few giggles from people when they first tried these. They're that good.