There's a little shop in lower Manhattan called Peanut Butter & Co. About a year ago, while my best friend Alex was visiting, we made a trip out there to eat some huge and delicious peanut butter sandwiches, share a peanut butter sundae, and buy some jars of peanut butter to take home. If you're not familiar with PB & Co, you should be. I could talk about them all day. But visit their web site, google them, you'll become enlightened. They're not only a sandwich shop-they produce 10 varieties of amazingly delicious and addictive peanut butters: Smooth Operator, Crunch Time, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, The Heat Is On, White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams, The Bee's Knees, Mighty Maple, Old Fashioned Smooth, and Old Fashioned Crunchy. (visit here to find them in a store near you, or you can always order online). They don't just sell peanut butter either-what they sell encompass all you would want/need that goes along with it. They love peanut butter. I love peanut butter. Match made in heaven. So, I was super stoked when they sent me a shipment including 2 of my favorites of the amazing PB & Co peanut butters:
Dark Chocolate Dreams
Dark Chocolate Dreams: peanut butter blended with dark chocolate. This is my favorite. I love it. I simply love it. It is rich and delicious and is so amazing in so many different things. This peanut butter is so phenomenal that my, aforementioned, bff, Alex, brought a jar with her to England for her semester abroad. If you knew what a tough time she had fitting everything into the small amount of luggage she was allowed, you would understand how big of a priority she made this stuff. It can be utilized in many different recipes, but, honestly, just about anything you dip into this chocolate will come out amazing. It can also make a mean PB&J. Or PB&marshmallow. Or...heck...just anything. You could just cut out the middle man and go at it with a spoon:
The Bee's Knees
Peanut butter and honey go together like...well...peanut butter and jelly. I'm actually pretty sure there are camps about this. I take no sides. If we're talking a sandwich, I'll go for the jelly, but if we're talking desserts, I prefer to pair the peanut butter with honey. The Bee's Knees is a delicious peanut butter that's already blended with honey. It makes great sandwiches, smoothies, peanut butter toast, oatmeal...and many many other things (such as those desserts I mentioned). Speaking of desserts! I have some amazing cookies to share with you that I made using The Bee's Knees. The browned butter really pairs great with the honey and peanut butter flavors. Michael and I adored these cookies and ate them up quick!
Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Simply Scratch for Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar + more for sprinkling
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup peanut butter (whatever kind you like. PB & Co's The Bee's Knees is delicious!)
- If not using The Bee's Knees: 1/2 tsp. honey
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Preparation:
- In a large bowl mix the sugars.
- To brown butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking often-continuously, until it turns brown and little specks show up (it will take a little over 5 minutes).
- Add the browned butter to the sugars. Let the mixture cool 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Once cooled, add peanut butter (and honey?) to butter mixture and beat on medium speed (with mixer) until smooth.
- Beat in egg.
- Mix in the milk.
- Add dry ingredients into wet until just incorporated.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours-up to 10 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll cookie dough into 1 inch balls. Flatten with a fork (while holding sides to maintain circular shape) then flatten with the fork again at a perpendicular angle to the first, to create a cross-hatch.
Like so. |
- Bake cookies 9-10 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown, but still somewhat doughy in the middle.
- Upon removal from the oven, immediately sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sugar.
- Cool on sheets until firm.
Peanut Butter Recipes (that I've posted so far) you should try using PB & Co for
Disclaimer: Peanut Butter & Co provided me with free samples, and I was under no obligation to review them, or give a positive review. My opinions are always my own.