Snack: Soft Peanut Butter Cookies with Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

2 cups raw whole almonds
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
Spread the almonds on a baking sheet pan. Roast for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted. After they have cooled enough to handle, reserve a handful for decorating the top of the cookies and roughly chop the remaining almonds. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the peanut butter until combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chopped almonds. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
If the oven has been turned off, preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line a couple sheet pans with parchment paper.
Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls using a 1-ounce cookie scoop and place on the lined sheet pan 2-inches apart. Lightly press the reserved whole almonds on top of the dough balls.
Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the cookies are just set on the edges and lightly browned. Let them cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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