Gravelly Point Peanut Butter and Honey Cookies
Someone special to me shared with me their special place. We went and had a picnic while watching planes land on runway 19 at DCA. This simple act taught me what it really means when someone wants to share something with you. There’s vulnerability in that. They have to trust you won’t judge or be critical of them. You have to acknowledge that it takes a lot to share something that is special with someone else. I’ve learned a lot from that person. We’ve grown so much since that day.
These cookies are inspired by that day. We both love peanut butter and honey sandwiches. It’s what we ate that day as the planes passed overhead on super short final. This is my way of showing my appreciation to her. Thank you for sharing with me something that is so special to you. I hope I’ve been able to share something special with you.
Today was a half batch of these cookies. What you see in the picture above it a split of that half batch with some added flour. The cookies on the right have the original amount of flour. They don’t have the classic peanut butter cookie look to them. I think the honey adds too much moisture. If you add some additional flour you will sacrifice some flavor for the ability to use a fork and get that classic look. Without the added flour you’re going to get a more intense and chewy cookie. With the flour it’s slightly muted but has more texture. Doesn’t hurt that it looks like the classic peanut butter cookie either. It’s simple to split the recipe right at the end. Go ahead and make it with the normal 3 cups of flour. Then portion out, and bake (why wait), the first 2 dozen cookies. With the rest of the batter just add another half cup of flour and mix again. Now you have options.
Yesterday was a hard day for me. Healing is very difficult. It’s almost harder to relive everything and try and deal with it than to just be sad all of the time. To the woman that is helping me, and inspiring this cookie, DCA19, thank you for everything. Thank you for asking me if I was ok the first time and every other time. Thank you for healing with me. Thank you for sharing your life with me. I hope these cookies will always remind you that I care and that I will do my best to be that safe place for you the way you are that safe place for me.
Ingredients
1 Cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 Cup honey
2 Large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup creamy peanut butter
3 - 3 1/2 Cups of all purpose flour
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the butter, granulated sugar, honey, light brown sugar, and peanut butter and cream them all together.
Next mix in the egg, salt, vanilla, and baking soda.
Add 3 - 3 1/2 Cups of flour. For a more dense and slightly less flavorful cookie add the extra half cup. For a chewier, more richly flavored cookie, go with the original 3 cups of flour. Don’t expect, or try, to get the fork to leave impressions. It doesn’t work. I tried far too hard to get that.
Drop the dough in 2T spoonfuls. If you added the extra flour go the extra mile and use a fork to press them down getting that classic peanut butter cookie look.
Bake them at 350 for 10 - 11 minutes.
Let them sit on the pan afterwards for 2-3 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
This makes about 4 dozen cookies.