The Asian Way to Make Peanut Butter Cookies 10x Better

Peanut butter cookies are a timeless classic, and chances are your grandma has a stellar recipe in her back pocket. While undeniably delicious and easy to make at home, let's be real for a second. Peanut butter cookies have hardly evolved over the years. While I still adore them, when I'm baking at home I always crave that extra je ne sais quoi to take a classic recipe from old-school to modern.

As I've worked on my forthcoming third cookbook that's all about cookies, I've spent the last few months experimenting with different ways to upgrade cookies in the American baking canon with Asian ingredients. To improve upon the beloved peanut butter cookie, I tried adding curry powder and while I loved it, it seemed a little too adventurous for a wide audience. So to the next batch, I added something that's a never-fail: miso paste.

Related: Japanese Whisky Sugar Cookies

Why You Should Add Miso to Peanut Butter Cookies

I know, you’re probably thinking, miso paste in cookies? But there's logic to prove why I'm not crazy, so stick with me here!

You’re probably already adding a pinch of salt to your cookie dough or sprinkling flaky sea salt over baked cookies to balance the sweetness. That’s the purpose of miso in cookie dough, to help balance sweetness and bring just a hint of umami that heightens and enhances all the other flavors.

Related: Miso Mac and Cheese

Miso works amazingly well in peanut butter cookies because peanut butter already contains umami notes, so the miso turns up the volume on that savory, nutty flavor. Once you start adding miso to your cookie dough, I promise you won’t stop.

What Kind of Miso Should You Use in Peanut Butter Cookies?

Others may tell you that when you bake or make desserts, only use white miso because it’s milder, sweeter and less salty than red miso. However, I prefer red miso in peanut butter cookies (and for all my other cookies, actually). Red miso’s deeper notes stand up beautifully against the richness of peanut butter, slicing through the sweetness, and adding complexity without being overpowering.

Related: Reddit's 150-Year-Old Cookie Recipe Is Deliciously Easy

How to Make Miso Peanut Butter Cookies

Adding miso to peanut butter cookie dough or any dessert batter is relatively straightforward. Simply whisk the miso into the peanut butter until well incorporated. For every cup of peanut butter, add about a tablespoon of miso. Then, make the cookies as you usually do, shaping them into balls or using the tines of a fork to create a cross-hatch pattern.

Related: Maple Miso Roasted Carrots

In Chinese culture, peanuts often symbolize prosperity, and peanut butter cookies bake beautifully into festive shapes. For example, you could mold the dough into snakes to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Snake.

These cookies are perfect for any occasion (or no occasion at all), but they’d be especially fitting for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Related: How to Make Caesar Salad with Miso

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