These peanut butter miso cookies might just be the perfect cookie. Creamy, nutty peanut butter, savory salty miso, caramel-ly brown sugar and vanilla make these cookies irresistible. They're simple to make and so, so yummy.
I love to bake with miso. Its deep, earthy, salty, umami flavor lends itself well to sweet baked goods and adds a flavor that is hard to put your finger on, but is absolutely delicious. For more info on miso and baking, and for another spectacular miso cookie recipe, check out my post for these Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These cookies are pillowy and chewy with sugar crusted edges and crackly tops.
- They're nutty, perfectly sweet and full of peanut butter flavor with a savory depth and umami from the miso.
- Cookies can be made, chilled and baked in under an hour.
- Easy to follow recipe with step by step instructions for perfect cookies every time.
Recipe Ingredients
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card below.
Unsalted butter - room temperature
Peanut butter - I prefer to use creamy, but crunchy peanut butter also works.
Brown sugar - for sweetness but also for a deeper caramel-like flavor
Granulated sugar - for sweetness, but also for rolling the cookies in before baking
White miso paste - also known as shiromiso, or yellow miso paste
Black sesame seeds - for garnish, optional
Recipe Instructions
Before starting the recipe, preheat the oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. For this recipe, you will need a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- Beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the miso paste, vanilla and egg.
- Beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Chill for 30 minutes
- Portion the dough with a cookie scoop.
- Roll the scooped dough into balls.
- Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 9-10 and sprinkle with black sesame seeds, if using, when they come out of the oven. Serve warm or room temperature.
Baking Tips
- For perfectly round cookies, scoot a round cookie cutter, slightly larger than the cookie, around the cookie, to shape the edges. Do this immediately after they come out of the oven.
- Don't over bake these cookies. The tops should be just set and no longer damp looking. Don't be tempted to leave the cookies in the oven longer as they will continue to bake from the residual heat once they're removed from the oven. Err on the side of under baking cookies slightly for the very best texture.
- Use a scale to make these cookie for the best results. Weighing ingredients is both accurate and consistent.
Storage and Freezing
These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.
Cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container, or zip top bag in the fridge for up to two days. Cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. They can be baked off directly from the freezer, no defrosting needed.
Recipe FAQs
I don't recommend using natural peanut butter in this recipe. Natural peanut butter has far less sugar (if any) added and the texture is different, with the oil tending to settle on top of the peanut mixture. You can try this recipe with natural peanut butter, but it will ultimately change the flavor and texture of the cookies.
Miso has a savory flavor. It's used in sauces, soups, dressings, and more, predominantly in Asian cooking. But it has a complex, concentrated, salty umami flavor that is fairly neutral and works really well with baked goods for an amazing sweet and salty flavor.
Not all nut butters are the same, as they all have different ratios of sugar and fat, which can cause texture changes and ultimately the recipe overall. I have not experimented using other nut butters for this recipe, but if you decide to try it, please report back and let me know how it worked out for you.
More Cookies to Try
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Miso Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.1 ½ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the miso paste, vanilla and egg for another 2 minutes on medium speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle.2 tablespoons white miso paste, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg, room temperature
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until combined, about 15-30 seconds.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop and portion the cookie dough. Roll each scoop into a ball.
- Roll the dough ball in the sugar to coat. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, 2" apart.⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Bake for 10-11 minutes. The edges and the top should be just set, and no longer wet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. The cookies should puff up a bit in the oven and deflate as they cool. Serve warm or room temperature.1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
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