A new take on an old classic with a soft crumbly texture and slightly chewy center. A touch of almond extract enhances the peanut flavor in a surprising way. Shaped into little balls and sprinkled with a combination of sea salt and coarse sugar, these cookies are salty-sweet, addictive deliciousness!
Salty-Sweet Peanut Butter Balls
Makes 48-50 Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt or 1 level teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups unsweetened peanut butter (creamy, crunchy, natural or not)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Sprinkling Mixture for Topping:
- 1 tablespoon sanding or demura sugar combined with 1½ teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt for sprinkling. Table salt is not recommended for this. It will leave the cookies tasting too salty even if you decrease the amount of salt in the mixture.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° convection and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy, at least 3 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
- Add flour and salt and mix just until combined with no flour showing.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared pans. The tops will be rounded but craggy. The cookies do not spread so they can be placed close together but leave room for air circulation, so they brown nicely.
- Combine sugar and salt and sprinkle each cookie lightly. Bake about 12-13 minutes, until cookies are set and golden brown.
Notes
Press a whole salted peanut on the top of each cookie before baking for added crunch and decoration.