Chinese Peanut Cookies

This recipe couldn't be easier. It's all done in the food processor. The results are a cross between buttery whipped shortbread and peanut butter cookies. This small cookie (about the size of a bottle top) is delicate but packs a ton of flavor from roasted and home-ground peanuts. The flavor of the nuts really comes through, so make sure yours are fresh.

My mom thought they were really authentic, like what you can buy in Malaysia. Pop one in your mouth it will just crumble and melt into deliciousness. I don't know anything much about the history behind these cookies and I only discovered they were a Chinese new year cookie *after* Chinese New Year had passed (the same day as Valentine's Day).

The recipe in grams but you could use a cup measure and base it on the ratio of ingredients to each other.



Chinese Peanut Cookies
40 cookies

200g roasted salted peanuts
200g all-purpose flour
100g icing sugar (do not use granulated sugar)
1/2 tsp baking powder
Dash of salt (more if you used unsalted nuts)

1. In a food processor grind the nuts to a fine paste or pulp. pulse together all dry ingredients.
2. Chuck everything into a food processor, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and blend at high speed until a crumbly, dry, short dough is formed.
3. If the mix is still floury, add more oil gradually and keep blending until the "grainy sand" look is achieved and forms a solid mass if compressed. Don't add too much oil. Roll dough between your hands into little pucks about the size of bottle tops and place on a lined baking sheet. Brush each cookie with a bit of egg wash (1 egg yolk with 1 tsp water). Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.