(adapted from lisa yockelson)
3 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (smooth) peanut butter
makes about 3 dozen cookies
For the dough, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and allspice (if using) onto a sheet of waxed paper.
Cream the butter in the large bowl of a
freestanding electric mixer on moderate speed for 3 minutes. Add the
light brown sugar in two additions, beating for 1 minute after each
portion is added. Add the granulated sugar and beat for two minutes
longer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each
addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter and blend
until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of
the mixing bowl frequently with a rubber spatula to keep the dough
even-textured. On low speed, beat in half of the sifted mixture, then
the balance of the sifted mixture. The dough will be moderately dense,
creamy-textured, and sticky. Divide the dough into thirds and enclose
each portion, patted into a flat slab about 1 inch thick (more or less),
in a sheet of plastic wrap. Chill the dough, covered, for 3 hours (or
overnight, if you wish).
Preheat the oven to 350* in advance of baking.
Line several heavy cookie sheets or rimmed sheet pans with oven-proof parchment paper.
Scoop up heaping 2 tablespoon-size
mounds of dough, roll into balls, and place on prepared baking sheets,
placing about 3 inches apart. Gently flatten the cookie in a crisscross
pattern with the tines of a fork dipped in sugar (or flour).
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven
for 15 minutes, or until set. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets
for 1 minute, then transfer them to cooling racks, using a wide off-set
metal spatula. Cool completely. Store in an airtight tin.
* coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, 1
cup lightly salted or unsalted, can be added to the dough after the
first half of the sifted ingredients are incorporated , using lightly
salted peanuts creates a cookie with a salty-sweet contrast, unsalted
peanuts a gentler flavor
(if using lightly salted peanuts, reduce the amount of salt to 1/4 teaspoon)
