I don’t mean to age myself too much here, but I am old enough to remember having the peanut butter cookies from Laucks Bakery in the Tower District. It is one of my first food memories. And they were so good.
No peanut butter cookie has measured up to it. My Mom’s are the closest and are delicious. But the Laucks used to really hit.
I am seeking comfort lately, and a peanut butter cookie that tastes like a Laucks cookie would really fill a hole right now.
So who has the recipe? What’s the fucking secret?
Nobody wants to post the recipe (at least I can’t find where), as if this needs to be kept secret anymore.
This has also put me on a quest to find the best peanut butter cookie in Fresno. Maybe the smallest quest ever, but it’s still a quest. If you have some thoughts on this, tell me where to go.
This is the closest I can find that could turn out to be like a Laucks peanut butter cookie. If anyone has a modification to this to make it closer to a Laucks cookie, let me know:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (avoid natural/organic types that separate)
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt (adjust if using salted butter/peanut butter)
- Extra granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the softened butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in a large bowl using a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate, medium bowl. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined (do not overmix).
- Shape the dough into small balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll them in extra granulated sugar if desired.
- Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each cookie by pressing a fork into a crisscross pattern.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned but the centers still look soft. They will firm up as they cool.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
