Peanut Butter Crank Recipe

For years, the peanut butter crank recipe gave me a real headache. Trying to get that perfect crunchy and crispy texture always felt like trying to catch the wind.

If you grew up in the 90s, you probably had these treats, and you purely associate them with happy memories as a child.

For me, peanut butter cookies were my first favorite as a child.

I make them almost weekly out of nostalgia, and they have become my kids’ newfound favorite snack.

There are intense variations of the recipe on the web, some annoyingly trying to replace most of the original ingredients while the rest are almost there.

This peanut butter crank recipe makes specific celebrations what they need to be for everyone.

This recipe is unique because the cookies bake to a barely brown color on the bottom.

They are crazy tender, crunchy, and they melt in your mouth.

They also don’t require nearly a whole day of mixing, rolling, cutting, and baking.

If you’re trying to find a healthy cheat-day snack or a great after-school treat for the kids, this recipe is what you’re looking for.

History:

George Washington Carver, an American agricultural extension educator, was popularly known for promoting peanut to replace the cotton crop.

The boll weevil had severely damaged the crop, hence the intense activism for the change.

George compiled 105 peanut recipes from different cookbooks, agricultural reports, and other sources.

In his 1925 research piece, How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption, he added three recipes for peanut cookies that required crushed or chopped peanuts.

Later on, in the early 1930s, peanut butter was added as an ingredient in the cookies recipe.

What do you need to know?

This recipe uses tried and tested techniques, ingredients, and textures like every modern recipe.

If followed correctly, it’s a fool-proof recipe that makes some unbelievably delicious cookies.

There have been some slight adjustments and tinkering, which has helped me land to what I consider one of the best recipes out of hundreds of them.

Technique:

If you want the perfect peanut butter cookies, you need to follow every direction given, as there’s a reason for every recommendation on this recipe.

If the recipe says to let the cookies cool for 15 minutes, allow them to cool.

If the recipe says to use softened butter, use exactly that.

Don’t try to bypass the instructions or make adjustments, as this will dictate the outcome.

Texture:

To achieve the unique texture in the peanut butter crank recipe, you will need to use correct ingredients, correct baking, correct preparation, and correct proportions of the dough on the baking sheet.

Get this wrong and get a crumbly-weird texture on your cookies.

Contrast:

Like every form of cooking, these peanut butter cookies require a different burst of flavors.

Your goal is to achieve other flavor profiles that will keep your palate guessing.

In this recipe, you’ll get a more extensive flavor profile from the peanut butter, and similarly, the cinnamon will elevate the peanut butter and help it stand out even more.

Let’s get you straight into the recipe:

Ingredients

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.

3.    In a larger bowl, take your electric mixer on low and cream together peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar.

4.    Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter chips.

5.    Slowly start incorporating your flour mix.

6.    Take your cookie dough and start scooping even; level the cookie dough balls while placing them on your parchment-lined baking tray.

Make sure to set your dough balls at least two inches apart.

7.    If you want richer tasting cookies, you can freeze your dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.

This process will add extra flavor to your peanut butter cookies, but you can skip it.

8.    Slightly fork-press your dough balls and bake them for about 8 to 9 minutes or until they get golden brown on the bottom.

9.    Allow them to cool on the baking tray for about two minutes, then move them to the cooling rack for another 15 minutes.

Storage tips:

Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe: 16 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	41.3
Total fat	2.8g
Saturated fat	0.9g
Polyunsaturated fat	0.5g
Monounsaturated fat	1.2g
Cholesterol	0.9mg
Sodium	43.9mg
Potassium	31.8mg
Total Carbohydrate	3.1g
Dietary Fibre	0.2g
Sugars	0.0g
Protein	1.2g
Vitamin A	0.3%
Vitamin B-12	0.2%
Vitamin B-6	0.5%
Vitamin C	0.0%
Vitamin D	0.0%
Vitamin E	1.2%
Calcium	0.8%
Copper	0.5%
Folate	1.6%
Iron	1.4%
Magnesium	1.1%
Manganese	1.4%
Niacin	2.1%
Pantothenic Acid	1.3%
Phosphorus	1.6%
Riboflavin	1.5%
Selenium	2.8%
Thiamin	1.6%
Zinc	0.8%

.

These daily nutritional values contain a 2,000 calorie diet.

You may need to make individual adjustments depending on your calorie needs.

Health benefits related to peanut butter cookies:

1.    According to American Heart Association, the peanuts in the peanut butter cookies contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

These fats help increase good cholesterol levels that improve heart health.

2.    The fiber content in the peanuts helps treat type-2 diabetes and has a substantial impact on reducing obesity.

3.    The monounsaturated fat compound reduces the chances of suffering a stroke.

4.    The baking soda in the peanut butter cookies helps neutralize stomach acid, which plays a significant role in treating heartburn.

5.    Peanut butter contains 4.21mg of niacin per serving, essential in the digestion process, nerve function, and energy production.

6.    Peanut butter is rich in vitamin B-6.

Peanut butter provides almost 14% of an adult’s recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of 1.3mg.

This plays a significant role in the enzyme reactions in the body, which is necessary for heart and immune system health.

7.    Weight management.

Peanuts can help people maintain their weight or even lose weight.

This is because peanuts contain protein, fat, and fiber content, which helps feel full.

8.    Bodybuilding.

Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein that helps build and repair muscles.

9.    Reduce the risk of breast disease.

A study in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment indicates that eating peanut butter and nuts at any age may lower the risk of developing benign breast disease (BBD), which increases the risk of breast cancer by age 30.

FAQs:

Why are my peanut butter cookies hard?

A perfect peanut butter crank recipe should not exceed for more than 8 or 9 minutes in baking.

If your cookies are hard, you likely exceeded the recommended cook time.

Why are my peanut butter cookies crumbling?

A few reasons why your peanut butter cookies may be falling apart.

You may have; substituted some of the ingredients, for example, margarine for butter, added too much flour, or cooked them for too long.

Can I refrigerate my peanut butter cookie dough?

Yes, you can.

Refrigerating your cookie dough for at least 3 hours adds extra richness and flavor to your cookies.

Chilling your cookie dough also helps your cookies not fall apart when baking.

Can I substitute natural for regular peanut butter?

Yes, you can use both interchangeably.

While the consistency of these peanut kinds of butter is different, they are both great for this recipe.

How do I make my peanut butter cookies less dry?

You can add oil or milk to your dry cookie dough for a softer, creamier texture.

Adding milk or oil to your recipe will redeem your cookies and make them moist.

Can I refrigerate my peanut butter cookies?

You can make your peanut butter cookies in batches and store them in the refrigerator.

Your cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 months if you keep them in an airtight container.

Contrary to popular belief, not all cookies are unhealthy and bland cookies aren’t synonymous with healthy.

This peanut butter crank recipe is deceptively filling and relatively low on calories.

Another plus is that you don’t have to worry about feeding your family nasty ingredients.

If you’re watching your weight or are searching for a healthier lifestyle for your family, this recipe will have you enjoying your treats without worrying about calorie accumulation.

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