Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies

The peas went in Saturday — the same row I have planted peas in for fifty-one years, Lincoln variety, four-inch spacing, the trellis I made twenty-five years ago set in place. The pea-planting is one of the rituals that organizes the spring. The blog post was about the planting, and the comments came in from gardeners across the Northeast asking the same questions every spring.

The lilac at the back corner began its bud-swell. The asparagus row pushed its first three spears Tuesday morning. The lawn began to need mowing. The April work is constant in its specifics and constant in its rhythm.

Made a lamb stew Saturday with the last of the cellar parsnips and the first of the asparagus from the bed — the asparagus added in the last five minutes for a small green note. The stew was good despite the slightly underripe asparagus.

The Friday vets coffee — Tom's rhythm has settled. He brings pastries from his wife. The room talks about the same things it has always talked about. Phil comes when he can. Tom Albany is now fully integrated as a regular, has been for months, and is part of the standing furniture of the gathering. The form holds.

The lamb stew carried the weight of Saturday, but it was the Friday table that kept coming back to me — the way Tom sets down the pastry box without announcement, his wife’s contribution to a room full of men who have learned, over years, how to simply show up. I never asked what she makes, but these homemade Nutter Butter cookies feel exactly right for that table: no fuss, deeply familiar, the kind of thing you reach for without thinking because the room is already doing what it needs to do and the cookie just belongs there.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 37 min | Servings: 24 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3–4 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat and prepare. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, 1/2 cup of the peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add wet ingredients. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low until a soft dough forms. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter just until incorporated.
Shape the cookies. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into each ball, flattening slightly to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Bake. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set. Do not overbake — they will firm as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.
Make the filling. Beat 1/2 cup peanut butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons cream together until smooth and spreadable. Add the fourth tablespoon of cream if the filling is too stiff.
Sandwich the cookies. Spread or pipe about 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling onto the flat side of one cooled cookie and press a second cookie on top. Repeat with remaining cookies. Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving or boxing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies — What Tom’s Wife Sends to the Table