Satay-style peanut butter cookies Christmas Baking with SusieJ

Measurements [metric]

  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 1/2 c peanut butter
  • 1/4 c shortening, softened
  • 1/4 c butter, softened
  • 1 tsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 c flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 c flaked coconut, preferably unsweetened

Cream together the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and red curry paste on medium high speed until fluffy. Add the egg and beat on medium speed. Scrape down. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture on low speed.

Chill for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll each ball in a shallow bowl of lukewarm water, then into the bowl of desiccated coconut. (The water will help the coconut to stick to the dough.) Space the balls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, and flatten with the bottom of a glass to about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick. Bake 9-10 minutes. The coconut should be toasted but not burnt.

Baked light brown cookies covered in coconut flakes on a cookie tray.

While eating pork satay with peanut dipping sauce (from the classic Real Tha), the peanut sauce was so sweet it insisted on being turned into a cookie recipe. The heat of the red curry paste balances the cloying sweetness of the traditional peanut butter cookie. The more sophisticated taste belies how easy they are to make.