It’s been a rough week. Three big deadlines plus work on the Quick Suppers chapter of Parents Need to Eat Too (100+ moms emailed me feedback on the recipes they tested, all within the space of 48 hours). I got everything done, though it was a squeaker. And then last night, a big fat disappointment: I’d been working on a pretty big project for Words to Eat By, the first of what was supposed to be a series of how-to cooking videos. I’d bartered with a friend of Stephen’s, a man I know and like, to shoot and edit in exchange for some writing work. Two weeks ago he came over and we spent a few hours shooting the footage—I butterflied a chicken for you!—and a few days ago he sent me a rough cut. It wasn’t bad, but it was long. Twelve minutes long. Nearly four times longer than we’d discussed. So I wrote back with a query about the length, and last night I got his response, which was basically: I give up. He walked away! I’m left confused and angry, with a whole lot of time wasted and nothing to show for it. (Though if you’ve got mad editing skillz and would like to barter for writing and/or food, drop me a line!)
So this morning I did what I always do: I buried my sorrows in cooking. Rifled through the giant stack of to-try recipes that’s always threatening to envelope my desk, and picked a simple one. See, when I’m this frustrated, complicated recipes tend to backfire. I get fully distracted, yes, but invariably I mess things up along the way. Simple is definitely better at times like this. I came up with a one-bowl (and no mixer) cookie recipe with only seven ingredients, one that satisfies sweet and salty cravings thanks to a generous helping of chopped honey-roasted peanuts. It’s flourless, which is a bonus for our gluten-free friends. And its major ingredient is peanut butter with a minor in dark chocolate, so I can almost convince myself these cookies are healthy. Not low-fat, certainly, but full of nutrition—at least as far as cookies go.
Anyway, give them a shot. They come together in minutes, and they’re extremely satisfying. Almost enough to make me forget my woes. Almost.
Flourless Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Epicurious
Makes 36 cookies
1 16-ounce jar natural peanut butter, creamy
1 1/2 cups lightly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60%)
1 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with Silpat liners or parchment paper, then set aside.
Combine the first five ingredients in a large bowl—I found it easiest to begin with a whisk, then switch to a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate and peanuts and stir to combine.
Use a large cookie scoop to portion out balls of dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheets. (You can also use moistened hands, taking a tablespoon at a time.) These cookies don’t spread much, so flatten the balls with your fingers a bit. Bake until the cookies are puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes, switching placement in oven halfway through. Cool on the cookie sheets for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.