Close
Photo:
Getty Images
My grandmother loved cookies. When she was younger, she baked them often, always keeping her special tins full for her visiting grandchildren. She baked less as she aged, but she still enjoyed eating cookies—especially chocolate chip and peanut butter—so, in turn, I baked them for her.
I wish I would’ve had this recipe for Jimmy Carter Cookies when she was still around, because I know she would’ve loved them. Just like the cookies she preferred, these peanut butter treats are simple and delicious.
Recently, the recipe has gained traction on Reddit. The exact origin of Carter’s cookies is murky, but we think it may have something to do with the fact that the former president was a peanut farmer.
One Redditor said, “The cookies tasted like peanut brittle!” and shared the version of the recipe from the “Panis’ Cookbook,” a book compiled by the Panis, or priests’ wives of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese’s Scranton Deanery. The accompanying pictures and description were enough to convince me to try them, and luckily, the recipe was both easy and delicious.
How to Make Jimmy Carter's Peanut Butter Cookies
The method for making Carter’s peanut butter cookies is similar to other drop cookie recipes. First, start by creaming butter with both granulated and brown sugars. Then, add eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy.
In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture into the creamed butter-sugar mixture, followed by rolled oats and salted peanuts. Finally, portion the batter into rounded teaspoons, placing each evenly spaced apart on a baking sheet. After a 12-minute bake, the cookies are done.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
The result: tiny but delicious cookies. Some Redditors were concerned about leaving the peanuts whole, but I enjoyed the big, salty pieces—they offered a satisfying crunch and creaminess. The cookies were crisp on the outside and chewy inside. I know my grandmother would have made these often.
Quick Tips for Making Jimmy Carter's Cookies
Carter's cookies are already great, but follow these tips to help make the best batches:
- Let the dough chill. Most drop cookies benefit from a rest before baking, and these are no exception. You can wrap the dough in parchment paper or leave it in the bowl, covered, before chilling in the refrigerator. Two hours is sufficient, but overnight is even better.
- Make bigger cookies. Of course, the little cookies are fine—and even cute—but I like a good two- or three-bite cookie. To do this, up the scoops of dough to rounded tablespoons. Bigger cookies also means fewer batches, which is nice if you’re not looking to spend half your day hanging out by the oven.
- Add some salt. The recipe calls for salted peanuts, but no actual salt. I found that adding ½ teaspoon of kosher salt was the perfect amount to bring out that big, nutty flavor.
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!
Other
Submit
