Beyond Peanut Butter: Discover the Magic of Cashew Butter Cookies!
Hey there, cookie lovers! Today, I want to chat about a truly special treat that’s graced my kitchen lately: Cashew Butter Cookies. Now, I know what you’re thinking – peanut butter cookies are a classic, and for good reason! But trust me, once you experience the subtle magic of cashew butter, you might find a new favorite (and not just for cookies —I’ve been enjoying it on toast, pancakes, and shhh… melted and poured over ice cream).
There’s something incredibly alluring about the delicate flavor of cashew butter. It’s rich, creamy, and nutty, but in a much softer, more nuanced way than its peanut counterpart. When it comes to these cookies, the combination of that beautiful cashew butter, a whisper of warm vanilla, and the cozy sweetness of brown sugar creates a symphony of flavor that’s truly irresistible. Each bite is a delightful balance of sweet and savory, with a wonderfully tender texture that practically melts in your mouth.
Beyond their incredible taste, did you know that cashew butter brings some pretty great benefits to the table? Cashews are packed with healthy fats, which are fantastic for heart health. They’re also a good source of protein, making these cookies a slightly more substantial (and satisfying!) snack. Plus, you’ll find essential minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron in cashews, all of which play important roles in keeping our bodies happy and healthy. So, you can feel a little extra good about indulging in these delightful treats!
If you’re looking to explore new flavors and elevate your cookie game, I highly recommend giving cashew butter cookies a try. They’re a wonderful way to switch things up and introduce a new, delicious dimension to your baking repertoire. You might just find yourself completely smitten with the humble, yet magnificent, cashew!
Happy baking!
Cashew Butter Cookies
Say hello to your new favorite cookie! The subtle, delicate flavor of cashew butter makes these cookies stand out. They’re rich, sweet, and perfectly balanced by the cozy notes of brown sugar and vanilla. Makes 24 cookies.
simple-
Prep time: 15 minutes -
Rest time: 3 minutes -
Baking time: 12 minutes -
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
| 1 | 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour |
| One (1) tsp Baking Soda | |
| half (1/2) tsp baking Powder | |
| half (1/2) Cup (one stick) salted butter (room temp) | |
| One (1) Cup packed brown sugar | |
| Two (2) tsp vanilla extract | |
| One (1) Cup Cashew Butter (room temp) | |
| One (1) egg |
Utensils
- Mixing bowles
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Electric mixer
- Measuring spoons & Cups
- 2 Baking trays
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Spatulas (for scraping sides of bowls)
Steps of preparation
- Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add butter to another mixing bowl and using your electric mixer blend until creamy. Then add in the brown sugar and vanilla blend until creamy again.
- Add in the egg and cashew butter and blend until combined.
- Slowly add in the flour and blend until combined. The dough will be very thick and sticky.
- Using a small cookie scoop (#60) or a tablespoon, measure out even amounts of dough, drop dough on parchment lined cookie sheet about two (2) inches apart.
- Bake cookies in 350° (176°C) oven for about 12 minutes, just until edges start to set.
- Cool on wire cooling rack for about three (3) minutes. (the longer the cookies remain on a hot pan the bottoms will remain baking and risk burning the bottom).
- Serve & Enjoy!
Notes
Can I roll these in sugar or powdered sugar? Absolutely! I didn’t because I don’t like my cookies rolled in sugar and I was out of powdered sugar or I would have rolled them in that. Roll them in sugar or powdered sugar before baking.
Can I use unsalted butter? Yes. You can use unsalted butter, but add 1/2 tsp of salt to the recipe at step #2.
When you roll them in powdered sugar before baking, the end result is a crinkly top.
My thoughts on the 12 minute bake time: I browsed so many recipe’s on Pinterest with varying baking times from 11 through 18 minutes. I tried a batch at 17 minutes and burnt the bottoms, a batch at 15 minutes and the bottoms were pretty crispy, and a batch at 12 minutes and that seemed to be the golden number for my cookies as the bottoms were then golden brown and not hard.
After the fact I decided to just look up how long to bake regular peanut butter cookies (since this isn’t that far off) and most of those recipe’s called for a 10-12 minute bake time. So I’m sticking with 12 minutes.
Store these in an airtight container or storage bag with a piece of bread to keep soft and fresh, for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing I didn’t try to freeze these, when I do I will come back and update this post to let you know how they kept.
A Little Secret: The Magic of Bread in Your Cookie Container
We’ve talked all about the irresistible flavors of these Cashew Butter Cookies, but now let’s dive into a clever little secret for keeping them perfectly soft and fresh for days: the bread trick!
If you’ve ever stored homemade cookies only to find them hard and crunchy a day later, you know the heartbreak. The culprit is typically moisture loss. After coming out of the oven, cookies begin to slowly lose their internal moisture to the surrounding air, which is what causes them to dry out and go stale.
Here’s where the humble slice of bread comes in:
- Bread is the Moisture Donor: Fresh bread, especially white sandwich bread, holds a surprising amount of moisture. When you place a slice of it into an airtight container or storage bag with your cookies, you essentially introduce a sacrificial sponge into the environment.
- Creating a Humid Haven: The bread’s moisture begins to evaporate into the sealed space, raising the humidity level inside the container.
- Saving the Cookies: This new, more humid air prevents the moisture from leaving your cookies as quickly. In fact, your cookies’ natural sugars may even absorb a tiny bit of the moisture from the air, helping them retain that wonderful, chewy texture.
The bread willingly gives up its moisture to keep the overall environment happy, and the wonderful result is cookies that stay soft and fresh much longer. You’ll notice the slice of bread will get hard and dry over a day or two—a sign that it has successfully done its job! Just remember to use a plain slice to avoid transferring any savory flavors (like garlic or rye) to your sweet treats, and swap it out when it gets rock hard.
It’s a simple, classic, and effective kitchen hack that ensures every Cashew Butter Cookie ( or any cookie) you grab is as tender and delightful as the first!
Ultimately, these Cashew Butter Cookies deliver that pure, comforting satisfaction we all crave. They’re the perfect afternoon treat, the ideal sidekick to a cup of coffee, and a delicious reminder that stepping away from the classic peanut butter can lead to wonderful surprises. Treat yourself today—you deserve the magic of the cashew!
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These sound like really yummy cookies.
Love that you used cashew butter. Will have to test to see if I can make this vegan or not.
Thank you for linking to SSPS 382. See you again on Monday