Peanut Cookies with White Chocolate & Raspberry

Reminiscent of the classic school lunchbox snack; these cookies are so easy to make and use a good bit of peanut butter.

The cookie itself is nice and buttery – similar to shortbread – and is decorated with a simple white chocolate, roasted peanut and freeze-dried raspberry garnish.

Get creative with the garnishes here – use dark chocolate instead of white, or swap the freeze-dried raspberries with a sprinkle of crushed gingernuts. Customise them to suit Mum (or yourself)!

This Peanut Cookies with White Chocolate & Raspberry recipe was first published in the Taupo & Turangi Herald 05/2024. I contribute recipes on a regular basis to this local publication, which are later shared here on my website. Keep an eye out on each week’s publication for my newest recipes!

Recipe: Peanut Cookies with White Chocolate & Raspberry

Serves: 14-16 cookies

Chill time: 1hr

Total time: 30mins

Ingredients

100g softened butter

100g caster sugar

150g plain white flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup good-quality smooth peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

75g white chocolate

2 tsp coconut oil

2 tbsp finely chopped roasted peanuts

Small handful freeze-dried raspberries

Directions

1. Put the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric beater, beat for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy.

   
   

2. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract, and beat briefly to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix with a wooden spoon just until a dough forms.

   
   

3. Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of baking paper, to approximately 1cm thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut your desired shapes. Gather up any scraps, form into a ball and roll out again between your sheets of baking paper. Repeat this process, until all of the dough has been cut.

   
   

4. Arrange the cookies on 2 trays lined with baking paper, spacing them a few centimetres apart. Refrigerate for an hour to chill.

   
   

5. Preheat oven to 160°C fan bake/180°C standard convection.

   
   

6. Transfer your chilled cookie trays directly from the fridge into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

   
   

7. Once cooled, prepare the drizzle. Place the white chocolate and coconut oil in a small heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until smooth.

   
   

8. Starting with one cookie, drizzle over the melted white chocolate mixture in a zig-zag pattern and sprinkle with roasted peanuts and freeze-dried raspberries. Repeat with remaining cookies.

   
   

9. Serve in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.