The text in The New York Times by Krysten Chambrot reads, “These cookies were the result of a happy accident. (The best things always are, aren’t they?) When the peanut butter ran out, similarly creamy white miso stepped in. The other ingredients were tweaked to offset the miso’s savory character, and what came out of the oven was salty and sweet, crunchy and chewy. A brief stint in the fridge helps mellow the miso’s bracing brackishness, and a roll in Demerara sugar adds a subtle crunch that pairs well with the tender cookie.”
Associate Editor, Ann Walczak made these for the first time in May of last year and fell so much in love with them that she promptly made another batch to give out as Mother’s Day treats. Her boss, Editor Jill Melton was one such lucky recipient and these cookies have become an all around favorite. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder and whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add miso and peanut butter to the mixing bowl, and continue to mix at medium speed, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix a bit more if needed. Add egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.
4. Add 1/3 flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour mixture in two batches.
5. Place 1/2 cup Demerara sugar into a small bowl. Working with one piece at a time, scoop out about 2 heaping tablespoons of dough (50 grams), and roll between your hands until nice and round. (If dough is too soft to roll, pop mixing bowl in fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up slightly.) Drop the piece of dough into bowl of Demerara sugar and turn to coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough, arranging them about 3 inches apart.
6. Refrigerate 2 hours and up to overnight. (Even 15 minutes of refrigerator time will help dough firm up and flavors meld. The longer dough is refrigerated, the more mellow the flavors will be.)
7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Bake cookies about 15 minutes, until crisp at edges and slightly puffed in middle. Cookies should be a bit underdone in the center. Pull out baking sheet and hit it against a counter. Place back in oven to finish for about 3-4 minutes. When cookies are firm at edges and slightly puffed in center, pull them out and again hit the baking sheet against the counter. The cookies should appear flat and crinkly at the center.
8. Let cool on baking sheet a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Store fully cooled cookies in airtight container; they should retain their chewy texture for a few days.
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