Spicefreak

I’m sorry folks but I’ve messed up this month. I’ve been rushed off my feet with one thing after another while spending what little free time I’ve had either filming or writing upcoming reviews.

I’ve not had time to get together the recipe that I promised you but it will happen and I do have something for today. Just not something that I’d normally consider recipe of the month worthy.

Today’s post is a quick and simple one that uses a specific product but could easily be adapted to use any of its type. It’s chilli peanut butter cookies.

And, for mine, I’m using Holly and the Ivy’s deliciously creamy naga nut butter – The one that I featured in my comparison post – giving you a chance to see its full size jar:

Alongside, of course, my other ingredients. Here’s the full list:

100g peanut butter

100g actual butter

150g plain flour

150g light brown sugar (or an even mix of white and brown)

1 large egg

½ teaspoon baking powder

A dash of salt

And, if you’re using a smooth peanut butter, a handful of peeled and quartered peanuts

To start, mix your two butters together and stir your sugar into the result.

If you’ve chosen a smooth peanut butter, you can blend the sugar in vigorously but, if you’re using a crunchy one like me, you’ll have to take your time a little. It’ll take a tad more effort to get the butters and sugar to form one smooth paste, with the nuts in the way.

It’s worth it, though, since Holly and the Ivy make such a brilliant peanut butter.

Next up, beat in your egg – A much quicker task – and add your remaining dry ingredients. The flour, baking powder and salt.

Mix all that together and add the extra nuts if your spread was smooth, then chill your dough in the fridge for at least half an hour. This helps the cookies to brown a little but, more importantly, stops them from spreading into each other.

Warm butter will melt in the oven before the cookies firm up and you’ll end up with just the one big cookie sheet. Not the worst thing in the world, since it’ll still be delicious, but not exactly ideal either.

And it’s not as if I didn’t have to spread my little dough balls out a bit anyway:

When you’ve done the same, all that’s left is to bake them. At 180°c, like usual, and for 15 to 20 minutes.

Or until they’re lightly browned. Like so:

This recipe should make enough for 2 trays worth, as well, though I found the batter too tasty to get that amount out of it myself.

And that sweet, nutty goodness carries on through to the finished biscuits, which should still be the perfect flexible texture while they’re warm but they aren’t exact bad once cooled, either.

They are, quite simply, everything I want in a peanut butter cookie, including a real slow, throaty

3/10

Heat

Albeit only the very bottom of that number.

It’s a great afterburn, giving me the high medium warmth I want in my chilli baked goods while still letting me enjoy the biscuit to the fullest first. I love it!

Of course, Holly and the Ivy’s spread doesn’t impart much chilli flavour to my creation but it doesn’t need to. They’re already gorgeous without.

For those who do want to taste the pepper, you could add a little extra or use a more chilli flavoured nut butter. Like perhaps one of the ones in Edible Ornamentals’ Nutty Professor line. Just maybe not the Xtreme variety unless you’re seriously into your heat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and I’ll see you next month for something bigger. Perhaps even with another bonus recipe along the way.