“Good things last”

Our Great Uncle Don lives by that mantra.  And he knows, having been, for almost four decades, a buyer of furniture and art.  From Louisville, Kentucky – home of the Mint Julip and a refined southern comfort – he travelled the world each year, from Asia to Africa and all the way across Europe.  He has a finely tuned eye.  And his mantra makes sense.

In his eighties now, he doesn’t travel with the same aplomb.  But he loves Peanut Butter Cookies and we baked and sent to him some treats: good things that won’t last.

This recipe for peanut butter sandwich cookies is an adaptation of “Not Nutter Butter” from Nancy Silverton’s  Sandwich Book.  It made 52 individual cookies, or 26 sandwich cookies.

In a medium skillet combine: 4 oz unsalted butter, 1 vanilla bean (or about 1 tsp vanilla extract), and 2 Cups rolled oats and toast them over a medium heat until they are becoming caramelized:

Meanwhile, cream together: 8 ounces unsalted butter, 2 tsp baking soda, and 2 tsp kosher salt until the butter is softened.  Then add 3/4 Cup white sugar and 3/4 Cup brown sugar and mix until light and fluffy.

Next add 3/4 cup peanut butter (we used Whole Foods No Salt bulk peanut butter, but you could use any other brand.  If using natural peanut butter pour off the excess oil before adding.)  And then mix in the toasted oats and 2 1/4 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour.  Blend until just combined.

Using a coffee scoop we portioned the cookies and then pressed them down, gently, to flatten them out:

You might add the cross-hatch marks with a fork.

Bake the cookies on parchment paper at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes, or until just beginning to darken on the edges; we like them best when still just chewy in the middle.  They will firm up as they cool.

For the filling, combine 3 ounces unsalted butter, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar, 1/2 Cup bulk all natural no-salt peanut butter, and 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp almond butter, unsalted.  Blend until smooth and creamy, and then spread the filling between two cookies.