E.T. Cookies

These E.T. Cookies are loaded with peanut butter, honey roasted peanuts, and Reese's Pieces. They are so peanut-y!

You grind the honey roasted peanuts in these E.T. Cookies to create a delicious peanut flour, which just intensifies the salty-sweet peanut flavor.

These peanut butter cookies get their name from the Reese's Pieces stirred into the batter. They were the candy that Elliott, the little boy in the 1982 movie E.T. used to lure the peaceful alien back to his home.

You can make these E.T. peanut butter cookies without the Reese's Pieces if you prefer. You can make them with chocolate chips, dried blueberries or cherries, or you can bake the cookies without any add-ins at all. The cookies, just plain, are delicious.

These E.T. honey-roasted peanut butter cookies are both chewy and crispy. You can make and portion the dough, and then freeze the individual cookies to bake later. I love the idea of making just a few freshly baked cookies when the craving hits.

These cookies also last for several days after baking when kept in an airtight container. Everyone with whom we shared these cookies loved them.

To portion the cookies, I used a #40 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough (it's also perfect for shaping meatballs). I dropped the dough in mounds on the parchment lined baking sheets, and the cookies turned out perfectly shaped.

Did you know that today is National Peanut Butter Day? Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures has has organized this event to celebrate. After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the over twenty tasty dishes, both sweet and savory, made with peanut butter.

Yield: 36 cookies

E.T. Cookies

ingredients:

• 4 1/2 ounces (1 cup) unbleached all purpose flour
• 6 ounces (1 1/4 cups) honey roasted peanuts (the salted version)
• 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) creamy peanut butter
• 4 ounces (1 stick) softened but still cool unsalted butter
• 10 ounces (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) Reese's Pieces

instructions:

1. With a rack in the middle, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Add the flour to your food processor and pulse. Add the peanuts and process until the peanuts become a fine powder. This should take about a minute. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the peanut butter, butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix on low with the paddle attachment to just combine the ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
4. While the mixer is running, add the egg in two portions, continuing to mix until each portion is incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and milk until you have a soft dough. Add the Reese's Pieces and mix briefly until just combined. 
5. Using a #40 cookie scoop, or two tablespoons, portion the dough into 1 1/8 ounce balls, and place the shaped dough 2 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 15 to 16 minutes. The edges should be firm but the middle should still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week. 

http://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/01/et-cookies.html

This recipe was slightly adapted from BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks. The book is pretty amazing. I'm pretty sure you need a copy.

Here are the rest of the delicious recipes made with peanut butter:

• 3 Healthy Peanut Butter Smoothies by Bear & Bug Eats
• Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookies by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls by The Freshman Cook
• Fluffernutter Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Nutter Butter Ice Cream Cone Cookies by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Granola Squares by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes by Kate's Recipe Box
• Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Spread by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits by The Redhead Baker
• Peanut Butter Snowballs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Peanut Ginger Pasta by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Thai Inspired Noodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm