Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies for #ChristmasCookiesWeek

This post is sponsored on behalf of #ChristmasCookiesWeek. The generous sponsors, YumGoggle, Sprinkle Pop, Silpat and Adams Extracts have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. All opinions are my own!

I’m back, just in time to help you with all of those holiday parties! This week you get TWO posts from me! Keep reading after today’s recipe for dozens of other fabulous cookie recipes, and to enter to win one of the FOUR giveaway prizes! Thank you to Ellen at Family Around the Table and Christie at A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #ChristmasCookiesWeek.

Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies

Robby has been wistfully mentioning peanut butter cookies, so I decided to give the people my husband what he wants, even though I’m not usually that into peanut butter. I always think of those classic round cookies with the fork marks on the top–I don’t hate them, but to be honest they don’t have chocolate so I’ve never seen the point.

As it turns out, these cookies clearly use peanut butter, but in a gentle way. Instead of shouting PEANUT BUTTER! they more sidle up to you like Hey, didja know I’m made with peanut butter?

I did this in a stand mixer, but you can absolutely do it in a bowl with a wooden spoon. You can see that my decorating skills are…adequate. Mostly. I used vanilla icing and chocolate ganache; you could also gently press in some sprinkles prior to baking or use royal icing to do a proper iced cookie.

The adorable tiny reindeer and house cookie cutters are from YumGoggle! The reindeer were a little finicky to get out of the cutter, but they look adorable. I missed an opportunity to put a red nose on the lead one.

Peanut Butter Cutout Cookie Notes

Chilling:

• We have a very nice, new side-by-side fridge-and-freezer. Problem: you can’t fit a cookie sheet in either side, by turning it either way. I got around this by cutting my rolled dough into pieces small enough to fit 9×13″ baking pans, and put those in the freezer.
• Instead of freezing, you can put the dough in the fridge for 1 hour.
• You could get away with not chilling the dough, but the edges will be much less sharp.
• …on the other hand, you can chill the cut out shapes 5 minutes before baking to firm up the edges. However, I found that they had to be baked longer and consequently were not as soft as I like them.

Peanut Butter

• In my test batch, I used the only peanut butter we had, which was crunchy. Surprisingly, it worked pretty well! The shapes were a bit harder to cut out and they looked a little mottled, but the bits of peanut didn’t really make a difference to the final texture or taste.
• I didn’t test this with other nut butters, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

I might have overthought this:

• I like these soft. For reference, my smaller shapes are less than 2″ across and cooked perfectly in 8 minutes. The trees and the gingerbread men that I am not showing you because of the terrible frosting job cooked in 12. Similarly, I rolled my dough about 1/4″ thick, but you could go thicker for a softer cookie or thinner for a crisper one.
• I halved the inspiration recipe here. As is, this makes a decent batch of cookies. You can double it to make enough cookies for all of your holiday events in one go.

Made these? Tag Bear & Bug Eats in your photo on Instagram or Facebook! I’d love to see your cookies!

Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies

Recipe very sightly adapted from Sweetopia; very useful cutout cookie tips from Smitten Kitchen.

#ChristmasCookiesWeek Monday Recipes

• Ach Tannebaum’ Iced Sugar Cookies by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Brown Sugar Ornament Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Butter Pecan Nuggets by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies by Soulfully Made
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by Everyday Eileen
• Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Cookies by Tip Garden
• Chocolate Espresso Brown Sugar Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Chocolate Snowball Cookies by Hardly A Goddess
• Chocolate-Cherry Snowballs by Red Cottage Chronicles
• Christmas Macarons by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Christmas Rosette Sugar Cookies by Love and Confections
• Christmas Sprinkle Pudding Cookies by Jonesin’ For Taste
• Classic Spritz by Books n’ Cooks
• Dark Chocolate Coffee Crinkle Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
• Frostbite Cookies by Cooking With Carlee
• Gingerbread Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Hot Chocolate Cookies by Family Around The Table
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie by Caroline’s Cooking
• Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies by House of Nash Eats
• Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies by Bear & Bug Eats
• Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Peppermint Meltaways by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Peppermint Pizzelles by Girl Abroad
• Peppermint Thins by Palatable Pastime
• Pistachio Cranberry Macaron by Yumgoggle
• Sour Cream Decorated Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Spiced Chocolate Molasses Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Vegan Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars by The Baking Fairy
• Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Shortbread by Kate’s Recipe Box
• White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies by The Redhead Baker
• Whoville Cookies by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prize Package #1:

From Adams Extracts comes a selection of baking delights including their prize-winning pound cake mix, pure vanilla extract, pure peppermint extract, double strength pure vanilla extract, pound cake flavor extract and vanilla cinnamon sugar.

Adams traces its beginnings back to Battle Creek, Michigan, when John A. Adams began making and selling his Green Plant Sarsaparilla extract, Adamur, in 1888. In 1905, he moved his family to Beeville, TX. At the time, most vanilla was sold to pharmacies and was often labeled “Do not bake or freeze.” John A. Adams, whose imagination was stirred by his wife’s yearning for a flavoring that wouldn’t bake or freeze out, announced that he could produce a better vanilla than the one his wife was currently using. Working with just $6.71 worth of materials on top of an old icebox, John A. Adams discovered the formula he wanted.

Prize Package #2:

YumGoggle is giving away a variety of holiday and Christmas cookie cutters. The winner of this prize package will receive a sleigh, large ornament and two cookie cutter sets. The first is a mug/ sweater set called Ugly Sweater Specialty Cookie Cutter Set and the second is a Santa/ reindeer set called North Pole Specialty Cookie Cutter Set. Each set includes 2 cookie cutters, 2 templates, 2 instruction cards and 4 bonus templates.

The YumGoggle gallery features food photography from contributors around the world. If you’re looking for a recipe, chances are you’ll find it on YumGoggle. The photos not only whet your appetite but you can easily find the recipes by clicking the photo.

Prize Package #3:

The winner of this Sprinkle Pop prize package will get their choice of 3 sprinkle varieties, a $35.00 value. Winner will be contacted by or need to contact Sprinkle Pop for fulfillment.

Sprinkle Pop offers trendy sprinkle mixes that you won’t find anywhere else. Fun fact: Over 50% of their sprinkle mixes are dyed in house, making each experience one of a kind. Sprinkle Pop also creates one of a kind confetti shapes that are unique to their mixes. Make every occasion a festive one with these fun sprinkle creations!

Prize Package #4:

One winner will receive an 11 5/8 inch x 16 1/2 inch Silpat® baking mat which is perfect for all of your cookie baking throughout the year. Reduces the need for parchment and is reusable.

The original silicone baking mat made from a dedicated silicone with reinforced fiberglass mesh. Nothing sticks to Silpat® which means you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your baking creations. Silpat® replaces the need for butter, grease, oils, and sprays.

• Multi-purpose non-stick silicone baking and pastry mat.
• No cooking sprays, oils or parchment paper needed.
• Not to be used as a cutting surface.
• Can be used in the oven, microwave and freezer.

Disclaimer: Thank you #ChristmasCookiesWeek sponsors: Adams Extract, Sprinkle Pop, YumGoggle and Silpat for providing the prizes free of charge. The #ChristmasCookiesWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Four (4) winners will be selected at random from entries received. The prize packages will be fulfilled by and sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. #ChristmasCookiesWeek bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household are not eligible to enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookiesWeek posts or entry.