Introduction: Peanut Butter-BACON Cookies

For my first instructable, I will be sharing one of my favorite recipes, peanut butter- bacon cookies.

It may seem weird or bad, but TRUST ME these are great!
These are much like a traditional peanut butter cookie but the bacon creates a nice twist for those who like sweet and salty mixed together and, more importantly, those who love bacon. 

For this recipe you need:
1 lb. of bacon
2 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick) softened and cubed
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of salted peanuts finely ground
raw or turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)

Step 1: Cooking the Bacon

First, make sure that your butter is softened or softening (it will make things much easier in a little bit)

Next, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Arrange the bacon on a wire rack on top of some sort of pan. I have a cake pan that works well but you can use most things as long as the bacon is dripping fat not being cooked directly in the grease. 

Cook the bacon for 10- 15 minutes. 
Using tongs flip the bacon over and continue cooking until the bacon fat has rendered off and the bacon is nice and crispy. 
Don't throw out the fat!!!

Step 2: Bacon Clean-up

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Pour the fat into a metal or warmed glass or warmed ceramic vessel and put it into the refrigerator. 
Let it cool to a semi-solid state. 
To speed up the process stir it occasionally. 

Step 3: Dry Ingredients

Combine:
2 1/2 cups flour 
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Stir together until well combined

Than chop up the bacon into 1/2 inch  squarish pieces

Step 4: Get Out Your Mixer!

Using your mixer (scrape down mixer and bowl as necessary):

Beat the butter 8 Tbsp.  until creamy. 

Mix in 8 Tbsp. of the cooled bacon fat. 



Step 5: Sugar, Peanut Butter and Eggs

Still using the mixer (scrape down the bowl as necessary):

Add sugars (1 cup white and 1 cup brown sugar) and beat until creamy (3-4 minutes)

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the peanut butter.

Add eggs (one at a time) until thoroughly combined.


Step 6:

Still in the mixer(on a low speed):

Add the dry ingredients and bacon.

Hand stir in the peanuts.

Step 7:

Form the dough into golf ball-sized balls and place them on a sheet pan, space them about 2 inches apart.

Dip a fork in water and press the tines into a x pattern across the cookie pressing it flat as you do. 

Sprinkle the cookies with turbinado or raw sugar.

Step 8:

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The edges of the cookies should begin to turn golden and the centers should be a little pale. 

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the pan for an extra 2 minutes. 

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. 


ENJOY!!!!

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