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Peanut Butter Paprika Cookies

Adapted from Sister Pie: The Recipes & Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit by Lisa LudwinskiThe original recipe called for "smooth peanut butter," which I assumed was standard peanut butter, as opposed to natural-style peanut butter, the kind which separates upon standing. I went with commercial peanut butter (I used chunky-style Skippy) and didn't try it with natural-style peanut butter, but a reader in the comments used natural-style creamy peanut butter and said they worked well with it.If you can't find smoked paprika, you can use another smoked mild (not spicy) chile powder, such as chipotle or pimente d'Espelette. Well-stocked grocers and multicultural stories carry them.

Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Others

Ingredients

For the cookie dough
  • 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (40g) whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder preferably aluminum-free
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 8 ounces (230g) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup (305g) peanut butter smooth or chunky (see headnote)
  • 3/4 cup (135g), packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the paprika topping
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado or raw granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Flaky sea salt such as fleur de sel or Maldon

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To make the cookie dough, in a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flour with the baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher or salt, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand, beat the butter, peanut butter, and the light brown and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract, stopping the mixer between adding each egg to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Stir in the dry ingredients until completely incorporated, making sure to reach down to the bottom of the bowl, as you'll likely find some unincorporated flour lingering underneath the dough.
  4. Scrape the dough into a shallow bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days. (The dough can be frozen at this point for up to three months, although I recommend doing it after scooping it in balls, in step #7. Let thaw before baking.)
  5. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together the turbinado and granulated sugar, paprika, and flaky sea salt.
  7. Scoop the dough into balls about 1 3/4 inch (4,5cm) each using a soupspoon and your hands, or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. Roll each ball in the sugar and paprika mixture so it's evenly coated, and place each on the baking sheet so they're about 2 inches (5cm) apart.
  8. Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets in the oven midway during baking, until they are golden brown across the top, about 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to gently tap the tops of each cookie to flatten them slightly, which makes them more attractive, and chewy when cool.