Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies...

Have you ever wondered what a million-dollar cookie tastes like?  Well, wonder no more.  This is the 43rd Annual Pillsbury Bake-off Million-Dollar winning recipe - made by Carolyn Gurtz of Gaithersburg, MD.  I clipped this from the Seattle Times a few weeks ago, just waiting for my oven to get fixed so I could try them...and when I read the recipe, my first thought was, A MILLION DOLLARS for a peanut butter cookie that uses REFRIGERATOR cookie dough!?!  WHAT?!?  Yes, it's true...and I'm here to tell you that while I don't think this cookie is worth a million bucks, it's at least worth 900 thousand - if only for the simplicity and creativity of it...oh, they tastes good, too!

This cookie hit the spot today...I came home from my book club lunch, depressed as always after having been with those brilliant women; baking cookies was the best thing I could do for my mental health.  Let me explain...I'm not a deep thinker...I've told you this before, in fact, I RARELY think...so no one would ever accuse me of being an intellectual - the thought of it makes me laugh!  Ha! And these women, who are all smart, witty, and so bright that their combined brainpower would make Steven Hawking's I.Q. seem like a single digit...reviewed today's book, Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky, so brilliantly, that I was left sitting mute...(of course I didn't read the book which accounted for 50% of my mute-ness.)  Oh, I did manage to make one comment...someone said, "Who would name a child Fanny?"  I laughed, of course, because I have just recently been informed that Fanny is a naughty word in Australia...so I passed on that tidbit to the lady sitting next to me - and we had a nice little laugh...and then I went back to my mute-dom.  It did sound like a great book though so I do plan to read it...unlike the mister, I actually do read.

It was a wonderful lunch - all French food and they are wonderful women but for the life of me I can't figure out how I was "let in" to their group!  I guess I'm the "token" dumb blonde...at least I'm good at that!  I do learn so much from them - I guess that's what keeps me going - well, that and the food!

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies - From Carolyn Gurtz, Winner of the $1 million grand prize in the 43rd Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Championship

(In the Bake-off, you can win extra money for using sponsors products - Mrs. Gurtz used an unheard of FIVE sponsored products!)

1/4 cup Fisher Dry Roasted Peanuts, finely chopped

1/4 cup Domino or C&H granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Jif creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup Domino or C&H powdered sugar

1 package (16.5 oz.) Pillsbury Create 'n Bake refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well-chilled

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.  In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended.  Shape the mixture into 24 one-inch balls.  Cut a roll of cookie dough into 12 slices.  Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly.  Shape one cookie dough piece around one peanut butter ball, covering completely .  Repeat with the remaining dough and balls.

Roll each covered ball in peanut mixture; gently pat the mixture completely onto the balls.  On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls two inches apart.  Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with cooking spray; press into remaining peanut mixture.  Flatten each ball to 1/4-inch thickness with the bottom of the glass.  Sprinkle any remaining peanut mixture evenly on tops of cookies; gently press into the dough.

Bake 7 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool one minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooking rack.  Store tightly covered.

Here's a few helpful hints for making these cookies.....make sure the packaged cookie dough is well chilled or you won't be able to cut it easily.  Also, DO NOT cram all of the cookies onto one cookie sheet like I did - if you do they'll take longer to bake and they will run into each other, altering their nice round shapes!  Use two baking sheets.  I didn't find it necessary to use cooking spray on the bottom of a glass - the sugar keeps the cookies from sticking. 

One more tip about ovens....the repair guy who came to my house yesterday told me that the BIGGEST mistake home bakers make is not letting their oven heat up for a long enough time before popping in whatever it is they're baking.  He said every oven, no matter what make or type, should be allowed to pre-heat for at LEAST 20 to 30 minutes!  Then, and only then, will the entire oven, walls and racks, be heated through which allows for even baking....Not worth what it cost me to repair the oven but good to know none-the-less.

Comments

[connie]

oh ya!! I found a new favorite web site/blog!! just from what I have seen, you are so fun! I will be reading your life, just so ya know
connie from happy valley-
lehi Utah

[Michelle Williams]

Dumb blonde my foot!!!! You had quite a bit of french in your RSVP as I recall. I couldn't get past Mon Ami and I had to ask my daughter how to spell that! Hmmm does this make ME the dumb brunette of the group??? :D