[Recipe] Traditional Peanut Cookies

It's that time of the year again to prepare for the Chinese Lunar New Year! What are your usual traditions? Do you buy your cookies off the shelves? Do you make them? Or do you commission a reliable source that hand makes these goodies from their home?

I've never made cookies for Chinese New Year before, although it is a tradition for me to help my mum make her infamous pineapple tarts which the whole family (plus extended families) love so much!

This year, I've decided to step out of my comfort zone and try making some cookies instead of getting them off the shelves. Hmmm... maybe two varieties of cookies at most! It is considered a mean feat for me because baking has not been my forte. But I'm giving this my best shot because nothing beats home made goodies.

I'm sharing an almost fail-proof peanut cookies recipe in this post, adapted from A Table For Two. I was in awe when I popped one into my mouth! It was unbelievably good with a light crunch before it crumbled and melted in the mouth - that's how the hubs described it. It was absolutely savory and I loved the hint of saltiness in each bite. I never knew something so easy to make could taste so good!

Total time spent : approximately 40 minutes
Prepare ingredients (yields 40-50 bite size cookies) :

- 300 grams ready made peanut powder (you can find it from supermarket. Get one that is purely peanut powder with no sugar added)

- 200 grams castor sugar

- 250 grams plain flour

- 200ml of canola oil (to be used sparingly, till the mixture is combined)

- 1 teaspoon of salt

- egg white for glazing the top 

Method :

- Preheat oven at 160 degree celcius. (Heat defers oven to oven. Mine gets really hot at this temperature.)

- Pour the peanut powder into a large bowl. Sift flour, sugar and salt into the same bowl and mix well.

- pour in half the oil and knead the mixture with your hands. Subsequently, pour in the oil a little at a time while you continue to knead.

- once the mixture is able to roll up into a dough without sticking to the bowl or your fingers, it is ready to be made!

 - I like my cookies small enough to pop into my mouth. So I used a small spoon to scoop from the dough, roll it to a ball shape and place it on a lined tray.

- You can leave the cookies in a ball shape or lightly press the top with a fork for a little pattern.

- Glaze the top of the cookies with egg white before putting into oven.

- Bake it for 15-20 mins or until it turns golden brown. 

- Cool on rack completely before keeping it in a tightly sealed container. This can keep for 2-3 weeks but I can't guarantee if you can stop at one!

- Enjoy!

I think I just might make more to give my mum and my mother-in-law. heehee...

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!