Larry discouraged me from making these cookies. Ironic, since I’m the one that doesn’t like peanut, but he doesn’t really care for peanut butter cookies. I don’t either, but they remind me of cookies my mom used to make after school. This version is light and pillowy and is a nice little cookie. It’s also the last thing I baked in my kitchen before construction started – goodbye crappy old range, hello dual-fuel!

The recipe doesn’t specify what type of peanut butter to use, although the cookies Miette sells at the bakery uses freshly ground peanuts. I will sheepishly admit that I keep Skippy creamy and super-chunk on hand just for baking – I think the added sugar and stabilizers and whatever else they put in there makes a better cookie.

I’m dying to bake more out of Miette, which I have checked out from the library. It looks like more of a special occasion baking book rather than an every day book, but everything looks really gorgeous and sounds delicious.

• Peanut Butter Cookies(Miette, p. 133)