DBall Peanut Butter Cookies - Baking with Dad

Did your dad make you a
 scale model of the Tower Bride for your wedding?

You may think your dad is pretty great*, but you just have to keep that to yourself because this post is all about how awesome my dad is. A newly retired Boeing wingman and all-around Mr. Fix-It,  he has now taken on - and conquered- baking.

I've written about his awesomeness before, but I thought I might highlight his accomplishments in a medium we could all appreciate - FOOD. Baklava, raspberry lemon bars, killer omelets... the man is simply a marvel.

On our recent visit back to the States, Dad wow'd us once again with his new talent in an all American ingredient - Peanut Butter. And what is more deliciously American than peanut butter? Apple pie? Hamburgers? FREEDOM! Ok, maybe freedom. But peanut butter is pretty great.

Ian PB Loving

Without further ado, here is the cookie to slay all PB cookies, the treat to put your own diabetic husband into shock, the...

DBall Peanut Butter Cookie

Ingredients: 

For the cookie

1 cup peanut butter

½ cup (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

For the filling 

10 oz peanut butter chips

1 cup peanut butter

Colored sprinkles for decorations on edge

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2) Mix peanut butter, butter, and both sugars until creamy in a blender.

3) Add eggs & vanilla and mix again

4) Add baking soda, salt, flour and blend again.

5) (Straight from the dad's mouth) I like my cookies big so scoop the dough table spoon size on lightly greased baking sheet.

6) Bake 12 minutes. Let cool 5 min. Then transfer to rack to finish cooling.

7) For the filling: In microwave heat peanut butter chips for 20 seconds stirring until melted. Add peanut butter and stir to combine.

8) Once cookies and filling cool, spoon small amount on bottom of one cookie and top with a second cookies. Try to keep your cookies the same size so they make a nice sandwich. Don’t squeeze too tight as a thicker filling works for me and is less messy on the edge.

Adorable Ball family forms an assembly line

  (If you're me, make your lovely dad - who is a bit of a perfectionist - butt out so you, your husband, and your nephew can take over making monster cookie sandwiches)

9) (Here's where the fun really begins.) Roll the edges in colored sprinkles. Will make around two dozen cookies.

  

10) Store in airtight container and enjoy. They freeze nicely so you don’t have to eat them all at once.

Viola! DBall Peanut Butter Cookies

Dad signs off his e-mail "Hope this helps will talk soon Dad". He's a gusher, that one.

If you want to make said cookies (and you should) in a place like Berlin where the PB is harder to come by, Kaisers and discount grocery stores actually sell it now. However, it can be expensive and some versions are simply not right. Try Asian markets for cheaper options, or make your own by buying your own peanuts and crushing with a little oil at Turkish markets like Bolu. 

So just remember, if you want to make your family happy and be as cool as this guy ----

 DBall Peanut Butter Cookies for the win!



DBall's Baklava recipe coming soon, along with more posts from our visit to Washington & the greater NW and good times in Berlin.



*(P.S. My mom is kinda amazing too. Jealous?)