Peanut Cookies

It was the second day of Chinese New Year and I made some peanut cookies - a fail-proof and really quick and easy recipe which even a non-peanut lover me loves it. In fact I first made these cookies last CNY and I guess I wouldn't have tried this recipe and realised how delicious they are if not for my husband, a "nut" lover. He is a non-dairy person and it cracks my head to think of the different CNY goodies that I could make at home for him so that he gets the feel of CNY. And these peanut cookies definitely add to the homely CNY feel which we would have otherwise felt if we were back in our own homeland. But it's not a pity that we can't celebrate CNY back at home anymore with the companion of these homemade CNY goodies (and not forgetting our friends here)... ^_^
I'm sure you will love it too!

Peanut Cookies

I am sharing these delicious melt-in-your-mouth Peanut Cookies with the following blog events:

Cook and Celebrate: CNY 2015 organised by Yen of Eat Your Heart Out, Diana of Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids;

Treat Petite (Feb 2015 theme: Love is in the air) hosted by Stuart of Cakeyboi and Kat of The Baking Explorer;

The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (Feb 2015 theme: Loved Ones) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… and hosted by Alexandra of The Lass in the Apron;

CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes;

  

Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello; and

last but not least, for the first time, I am also sharing this Peanut Cookies recipe with event, My Treasured Recipes #5 (Jan & Feb 2015 theme: Chinese New Year Goodies) hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

Peanut Cookies
Recipe referenced and modified from: Let's Get Wokking

Ingredients Required

200 grams peanut powder with sugar
80 grams castor sugar or icing sugar
185 grams all-purpose flour
120 ml vegetable oil*
1/4 teaspoon salt

A handful of half peanuts (optional)

Egg wash: 1 egg yolk

Bakeware Used

Two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper

Preparation Steps

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut powder, sugar, flour and salt.
2. Add half of the oil to the peanut mixture and work to combine by kneading the mixture.
3. Gradually add the remaining oil to the peanut mixture and continue to knead until the sugar has melted and the dough comes together to form a smooth texture. The peanut cookie dough is ready when is it doesn't crumble. It is not necessary to add all of the oil as specified.

4. Divide the cookie dough into bite-size (roughly about 10 to 12 grams each) and roll between palms to form a ball. Place the peanut ball on the baking sheet about 1-inch apart.

5. Top each peanut ball with half a peanut by gently pressing the peanut into the cookie dough.

6. Brush each peanut ball with egg wash using a pastry brush.

7. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 355 degrees F (or 180 degrees C) for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

**Once baked, remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to cool completely over a wire rack. Once completely cooled, transfer to and store in an airtight container.**

The Dream Baker's Experiment

1. The quantity in my above recipe is approximately two-third of the original source recipe. I modified the recipe due to the brand of peanut powder (comes in 200 grams) I have in my pantry.
2. The original source recipe suggests castor sugar or icing sugar. Using castor sugar creates a crunchy feel but I prefer the smooth and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Therefore I used icing sugar in my baking experiment.
3. The original source recipe did not specify the type of oil to be used, but mentioned the use of olive oil in her recipe. I suggest any neutral flavoured oil, and used vegetable oil in my above recipe since it is available in my (and I believe most) pantry.
4. *I did not add the full amount of oil to achieve the right texture of the cookie dough. I had roughly 1 teaspoon of oil left from the amount in my above recipe. This really depends on the type of flour, peanut powder or even oil that you used. As a reference guide, this peanut cookie recipe should not require more than the amount of oil specified.
5. The original source recipe suggest baking 15 grams peanut balls (2-bite size) at 390 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 minutes and 10 grams peanut balls at 355 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 12 minutes. I baked my peanut cookies which weighed approximately 12 grams on average at 355 degrees F for about 11 minutes.

Hope everyone is still enjoying the CNY celebrations and having lots of fun wherever you are! 

Dare to dream.

The Dream Baker

***Disclaimer: The brand of the peanut powder shown in this blogpost is for reference only. This is not a paid advertisement.***