Food - Drink
The Only Type Of Peanut Butter You Should Use For Your Cookies
By ANNA STAROPOLI
Nowadays, the debate of chunky vs. smooth peanut butter has been replaced by the debacle of natural vs. conventional brands. Conventional peanut butters such as Jiff or Skippy may include more sugar and additives than natural, organic kinds, but when it comes to baking, one type of peanut butter emerges as a clear victor.
Conventional peanut butter stays smooth and emulsified, while natural brands often separate into a layer of oil on top of the jar with a solid layer below. When making peanut butter cookies or other baked goods, using natural peanut butter means a ton of mixing work, resulting in a huge headache and a sore arm, if you don't own a mixer.
In addition to requiring extra mixing, both in the jar and in your batter, natural peanut butter has a thicker consistency that can result in cookies with a dry and inconsistent texture. If all you have on hand is natural peanut butter, make sure you put in the extra time to mix it thoroughly before adding it to your cookie dough.