Baking with Bears - Salted Nut Butter Cookies

by JR Snyder

In trying times, why not have some salty nut butter?

I can tell by the market shelves, nude and exposed where things like flour and yeast should be, that I'm not the only one looking to do a little comfort baking these days. It's the perfect kind of grounding, homey activity that soothes the soul. And who doesn't like cookies, cakes, and breads? Here's a recipe that's easy and tasty. It fancies up nicely for those who like it fancy but keeps it simple for those not in the market for a technical challenge. It doesn't even need any flour, although you will need at least one egg. It scales nicely, can be stirred up a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge, and has enough tasty nut butter for just about anybody.

This is a riff on the three-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe that you'll find in lots of places. You can use anything from store-brand smooth PB to organic maple almond butter and it will work nicely, although results will vary slightly. Cashew butter feels softer at room temp, but bakes firmer, whereas almond butter spreads more in the oven, for example. A little spice can be a nice addition, but don't let your main flavor become too diluted. Note that if your nut butter doesn't have any added salt, you might need to add a pinch to the dough or be generous with the garnish. Don't skip chilling the dough (you can also put it in the fridge for an hour, or even a day or two, if there's no room in your freezer) or the cookies will spread too much in the oven.