17 January 2012 | 53 comments
Posted in Chinese, cookie/ cracker, Featured Articles, snacks, Vegetarian
RECIPE FOR PEANUT COOKIES
Source: Recipe largely adapted and modified from my reader, Sandy Goh’s recipe. For methods, Dodol & Mochi and Rasa Malaysia.
Yield: 130 cookies
Ingredients:
300g raw peanuts
250g plain flour
130g icing sugar (note 1)
135ml peanut oil (note 2) – add extra 5ml if necessary
15g butter (softened – optional)
Pinch of saltEgg wash (based on one large egg about 66g)
– 1 egg yolk (beaten lightly, and diluted with 1 tsp milk and 1 tsp water) (note 3)Methods:
- Rinse peanuts until running water. Pat dry with kitchen towel and leave to air dry. In a wok/ cooking pan, dry fry (without oil) peanuts with low heat until fragrant, the skin turns dark brown and the internal colour is tan. It will take about 20 minutes or so. Set aside and let them cool down. Remove skins and grind peanut until fine or superfine (depending on your preference. If superfine grounded peanuts, the texture will be sticky and smooth like a paste.). Keep in an airtight container. Best to prepare this step one day in advance (note 4 and 5).
- Preheat oven at 160°C for 15 minutes. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper. You may need to bake these cookies in 3 batches.
- Sieve flour, sugar and salt respectively.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, salt and grounded peanuts until well combined. If your grounded peanuts are superfine and smooth like paste, use your finger tips to rub it into the flour mixture.
- Add in butter, then oil. For oil, add in bit by bit. If your grounded peanuts are superfine and smooth like paste, lesser oil is needed for kneading.
- Use a spatula to combine all the ingredients until well incorporated. Then, knead with hand until a dough is formed. At first, the dough will be dry and crumbly. As you go on, the oil from the peanut will make the dough sticky. It will take about 5 minutes to achieve it. To test it, take a small portion of the dough and roll into a ball between your palms. If it doesn’t fall apart, then your dough is ready. If not, add a bit more oil, knead and test again.
- Take 7g of dough, shape into ball and flatten it slightly with both palms. Repeat this step until the dough is used up.
- Take a pen cap (remember to wash it before you use for hygiene purpose) and press it lightly on top of the cookies to create a design.
- Apply egg wash to the cookies.
- Bake at 160°C for 20 minutes until they turn slight golden brown and have little cracks. After the baking time, turn off the oven, leave the cookies inside with the oven door shut. Let the residue heat in the oven cook the cookies for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and leave to cool on the wire rack for another 5-10 minutes. Then store them in an air-tight seal container or any container and seal the lid with sticky tape.
Notes:
- The original recipe is determined based on a fixed ratio of 2:2:1:1 for peanuts, flour, sugar and oil respectively. Given my current adjustment to the peanuts and flour, I had re-calculated the sugar and oil based on the following formulas:
– sugar = 25% x total amount for peanuts and flour.
– oil = 20% of total amount for peanuts, flour and sugar.- You can substitute peanut oil with any unflavoured oil such as olive oil and sunflower oil. But, peanut oil will yield more aromas to the cookies.
- The ratio of milk and water is just my personal preference. You can also choose to have only 1 type as you like. It’s fine as long as the egg yolk is diluted.
- Instead of dry frying, you can roast them in an oven at 170°C for 20 minutes. After roasting for 10 minutes, stir every 5 minutes until fragrant and cooked. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the peanuts. If the peanuts are not fully cooked after 20 minutes, extend another 5-7 minutes at 140°C.
- The peanuts will continue cooking after dry frying or roasting. So, do not overcook them. It’s fine to cook them slightly underdone. Give it a bite to test. As long as they taste fragrant and the internal colour is tan, you can stop. They will turn crispy once they cool down.
- The baking time and oven temperatures vary depending on the types of oven you use. So, please use your own judgment.
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53 Comments
noobcook says:17 January 2012 at 10:47 pm
they look so amazing and professional. Wishing you and your loved ones 龙年快乐, 万事如意!
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:27 pm
Noobcook: Thanks for your high rating! Same to you and your family!! 😉
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- food-4tots says:
27 January 2012 at 9:02 am
LCOM: Thanks!! 😉
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- tigerfish says:
18 January 2012 at 7:29 am
Yes! 身体壮得像斗龙! 🙂
I usually like the almond version of this. Your peanut cookies look flawless!
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:29 pm
Tigerfish: Thanks for your wonderful compliments and suggestion!! I will try the almond version later. 😉
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- Meg Tan says:
18 January 2012 at 9:21 am
I’m eagerly waiting for the day my son turns 3 (he’s 2 now), then I can use peanuts in my cooking and baking, like soups, peanut butter, peanut cookies… shall KIV this recipe till then :p
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:31 pm
Meg Tan: Yes, it’s better to wait until he turns 3. For me, I only introduced peanuts to my son after 5 years old because of his asthmatic cough. 😉
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- Joanne says:
18 January 2012 at 10:05 am
Well I am certainly NOT allergic to peanuts and I’m so glad because I can’t wait to try these!
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:32 pm
Joanne: Hope you will love this Chinese peanut cookies. Happy trying! 😉
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- Nasi Lemak Lover says:
18 January 2012 at 1:29 pm
I never made peanut cookie before, i need to keep this recipe for next CNY, running out of time..Beautiful photos !
Wishing you Gong Xi Fa Cai!Reply
- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:46 pm
Nasi Lemak Lover: Yes, this year CNY is too early. I’m running out of time too. Hehehe! Thanks for your compliment! Same to you and your family too! 😉
- Ellena says:
18 January 2012 at 4:17 pm
Your peanut cookies look so inviting, especially the colours. Wishing you and your family a Happy Chinese New Year.
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:48 pm
Ellena: Thanks for your lovely comment! Same to you and your family! 😉
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- priscilla poh says:
18 January 2012 at 4:24 pm
Hi Lai Kuan
Wishing u and family “Blessed Lunar New Year”.
Love to try out ur peanut cookies recipe after Feb cos’ still busy with work. U are always so meticulous and detail in ur recipes write-up. Thank u for the unselfish sharing of all recipes and tips and advice.
BTW, I lost ur email due to computer crashed and I lost the entire data in my computer. Lost all the connections, that’s why u did not hear from me.
Blessings
Priscilla PohReply
- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:52 pm
Priscilla Poh: You’re so generous with words as always! Thanks a lot! Oh dear, sorry to hear about what happened to your computer. I will send you an email soon. Gong Xi Fatt Chai to you and your family! 😉
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:52 pm
Priya: Thanks for your sweet words! 😉
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- Alice says:
18 January 2012 at 11:07 pm
This recipe looks simple and easy to make! Might give it a try during the CNY holiday soon! 😀
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:53 pm
Alice: Yes, you said it all!! A must try recipe for your CNY! 😉
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- Migle says:
19 January 2012 at 4:04 pm
The cookies are just gorgeous! I will definitelly make them 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:53 pm
Migle: Thanks!! Happy trying!! 😉
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- peteformation says:
19 January 2012 at 4:34 pm
I used to help my mom make peanut cookies also…..but like you, I hardly eat them….lol!
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2012 at 11:56 pm
Peteformation: Hahaha! What a co-incidence!! But now thing had changed, I’m a great fan for these cookies! 😉
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- mycookinghut says:
20 January 2012 at 3:27 am
I love peanut cookies! It’s really festive! Man, I want to make some too..
新年快了！万事如意！龙年好运！Reply
- food-4tots says:
20 January 2012 at 10:28 am
Lee Mei (MCH): Thanks! Same to you and your family! 😉
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- A Little Yumminess says:
20 January 2012 at 5:16 am
I love these little cookies. I remember eating a version of them when i was younger! Yum!
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- food-4tots says:
20 January 2012 at 10:29 am
A Little Yumminess: It’s super delicious!! Get your kids to make these cookies with you! Have fun with some ball rolling games with them! 😉
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- The Sudden Cook says:
20 January 2012 at 4:39 pm
Each cookie is so perfectly round and they each are identical in size! Well done! A Very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year to you and your family!
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- food-4tots says:
23 January 2012 at 10:33 am
The Sudden Cook: I’m sure you can do it too! Same to you and your family! 😉
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- Quay Po Cooks says:
20 January 2012 at 7:28 pm
These peanut cookies is perfectly made. I love it. Happy Dragon Year to you and your family.
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- food-4tots says:
23 January 2012 at 10:36 am
Quay Po Cooks: Thanks! Same to you and your family! 😉
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- Nami | Just One Cookbook says:
27 January 2012 at 3:18 pm
Happy Chinese New Year! Gosh I missed a couple of your past posts. They all look like recipes from a cookbook! I live Chinese peanut cookies, and these look beautiful! I wish you have healthy and prosperous Dragon year!
p.s. Thanks for the like on my picture, which lead me to come back here.. =D
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- food-4tots says:
30 January 2012 at 12:29 am
Nami (JOC): Thanks for your continued support and wonderful compliment!! Happy Chinese New Year to you and your family too! 😉
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- Christine's Recipes says:
3 February 2012 at 3:16 pm
Beautiful peanut cookies! Every cookie is in perfect round. Good job.
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- food-4tots says:
5 February 2012 at 9:47 pm
Christine: Thanks for your wonderful compliment! 😉
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- Baking Scientist says:
10 January 2013 at 11:46 am
Your cookies look so wonderful! perfect shapes and lovely golden color 😀 I couldn’t resist but bake these this morning. It tastes wonderful! I will definitely bake these again! Thank you so much for the detailed recipe and method! 🙂
Do you have any tips on how to remove the peanut skins from the peanuts quickly? That took the longest for me in the entire baking process :p
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- food-4tots says:
14 January 2013 at 11:16 am
Baking Scientist: Thanks for your wonderful feedback!! Maybe you can refer to this link for the tip – http://happyhomemaker88.com/2008/09/25/how-to-remove-the-skins-of-roasted-peanuts-in-a-jiffy/. Hope it helps! 😉
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- Baking Scientist says:
18 January 2013 at 11:19 am
Haha thanks! I found a video on YouTube, in which someone was shaking the strainer outside his house (looks like he stays in a kampong house), it was really hilarious 😀 haha, but I felt dumb why I didn’t think about that earlier hehe 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
19 January 2013 at 11:43 pm
Baking Scientist: Maybe it’s not so messy. Hope this tip works for you. 😉
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- Cristina says:
22 January 2013 at 9:35 am
Hi there,
The peanut cookie recipe is fantastic. Everybody loves the cookie I baked.
Thank you
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- food-4tots says:
22 January 2013 at 7:54 pm
Cristina: Wow! I’m glad to know that!! Thanks a lot for your kind feedback! 🙂
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- Joanne says:
30 April 2013 at 3:41 am
Hi Dear,
The peanut cookie recipe is super great. I love it. By the way, do you have the recipe for the “caterpillar cookie”?Reply
- food-4tots says:
2 May 2013 at 9:39 am
Joanne: Thanks for the feedback! Sorry, I don’t have. It would be great if you could share one with me. 😉
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26 January 2014 at 9:52 pm
[…] The postal cost of the package was USD97. Suffice to say it was very, very expensive to send anything from Malaysia. I can’t remember a year since I’ve been in the US when I have not received a care package for Chinese New Year. So this year, I decided to make my own Peanut cookies so that I could do a side by side test with the ones from Penang. Here is the recipe that I used: (https://food-4tots.com/2012/01/17/peanut-cookies/2/). […]
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- food-4tots says:
11 October 2014 at 7:23 pm
Yogetha: Yes, you can. 🙂
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- Eleven says:
28 October 2014 at 12:25 pm
Hi,
I love the photos of yr peanut cookies and since I love peanut cookies, I tried making them myself. I was hoping to be able to eat them all year round rather than hv them only during CNY.
However, I am not able to get the color of the cookies to dark brown like yours. Mine is just light brown in color. I roasted my peanuts in the oven instead of dry fry. I roasted them for 40 mins at 180C..
Is the color of my cookie due to the different way of roasting the peanut? Otherwise, what can it be due to?
Thanks.
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- food-4tots says:
30 October 2014 at 10:11 pm
Eleven: Did you apply the egg wash on the cookies? 🙂
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- Eleven says:
31 October 2014 at 12:01 pm
Yes, I did. In any case the cookies turned out perfect. My hubby loved them. I will definitely do this for the upcoming CNY. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Btw, my name is Eleen. I typed wrongly earlier.
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- food-4tots says:
5 November 2014 at 11:00 pm
Eleen: It’s my pleasure to share. If you still find the colour of the cookies is too light, give them another layer of egg wash. Glad to know that this will be your upcoming CNY cookies. 🙂
Reply
19 February 2015 at 1:23 am
[…] Chinese New Year Peanut Cookies – 花生饼 Adapted from http://www.atablefortwo.com.au and https://food-4tots.com […]
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23 March 2015 at 8:26 pm
[…] Adapted from foods-4tots […]
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Cristina 
Joanne 
Eleven 