Our sweet and salty peanut butter miso cookies have crispy edges, a chewy center and unbelievable flavor! The addition of miso paste gives this classic treat a rich and complex twist that is seriously addictive!
These peanut butter miso cookies are the type of cookie where you really can’t eat just one. They have that perfect balance of sweet and salty that instantly makes you reach for another. The secret? A few heaping spoonfuls of miso paste to give these peanut butter cookies a slight umami flavor boost and incredible depth of flavor!
Key ingredients
Aside from the miso paste, the ingredients for these peanut butter miso cookies are mostly pantry staples: flour, sugar, butter, egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract and, of course, peanut butter!
- Sugar: A combination of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these cookies a chewy texture with caramel notes.
- Creamy unsalted peanut butter: I recommend using unsalted peanut butter as the miso already adds a good bit of saltiness. I’ve used several brands of natural creamy peanut butter including Trader Joe’s and Crazy Richard’s and both batches have turned out well. Just make sure to stir the peanut butter well before measuring! That being said, if you do want to use a regular peanut butter such as Skippy or Jif, just omit the additional salt in this recipe.
- White miso paste: Miso is most traditionally used in Japanese cooking to season soups and other savory dishes. But in recent years, baking with miso has become increasingly popular. After trying these cookies, it’s not hard to see why! It adds an umami flavor that can balance the sweetness in baked goods and provides an almost unidentifiable flavor boost.
- All purpose flour: I sometimes like to substitute half of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. This will give your cookies an extra bit of nuttiness without any change in texture. To make the substitution, use one cup (120 grams) all purpose flour and 1 cup (130 grams) whole wheat flour.
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies spread and also contributes to the texture.
Step by step instructions
This peanut butter miso cookies recipe can be made in six easy steps!
- Cream the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Mix in peanut butter and miso paste.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture, mix until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the peanut butter miso cookie dough for at least 2 hours.
- Portion the dough into balls and bake for 12-14 minutes until golden.
Storage and freezing
Peanut butter miso cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or for up to a week in the fridge.
The cookies can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to three months.
Expert tips and tricks
- Measure your flour correctly. We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure flour when baking your peanut butter miso cookies. If you decide to measure in volume, use the spoon and level method to get a more accurate amount. Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
- Chill the dough for at least two hours before baking. This helps the cookies develop flavor and contributes to their chewy texture.
- Adjust the bake time as needed. The cookies should be quite soft when coming out of the oven, but will firm up while cooling on the pan. Don’t be afraid to take them out before they’re too golden brown around the edges.
FAQs
Miso is a fermented soybean paste commonly used in Japan. It’s made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (a mold cultivated from grains, most often rice or barley). The delicious paste comes in a variety of textures and styles determined by the length of fermentation, type of grain used and ratio of ingredients.
Rice-based miso is the most common product found in the States and is generally found in white or red. Red miso has been fermented longer and will have a stronger flavor.
Miso comes in various types and the flavor ranges from mild to quite funky. For this recipe, white miso (shiro miso) is the best choice due to its sweet and mild flavor. We used Eden Organic Shiro Miso which we picked up at Whole Foods.
The miso won’t really be identifiable as miso, but will give the cookies a very slight umami flavor and deeper dimension, which contributes to the perfect balance of sweet and salty!
Yes! I prefer creamy peanut butter, but chunky can also be used if you want more texture.
Nope! You can use a regular peanut butter, but make sure to leave out the salt called for in the recipe.
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or for up to a week in the fridge. Baked peanut butter miso cookies can also be frozen for up to three months.
Loving this peanut butter miso cookies recipe? For more delicious cookie inspiration, make sure to check out these posts:
Peanut Butter Miso Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 34 minutes
- Yield: 28
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (190 grams) creamy unsalted peanut butter* (stir well before measuring)
- ¼ cup (70 grams) white miso paste
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Mix in the peanut butter and miso paste until fully incorporated.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to several days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough out into balls (approximately 2 tablespoons of dough each) and place them on the prepared baking sheets 2 inches (5 cm) apart. They will flatten as they cook.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Measuring Flour: We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure flour. If measuring by volume, use the spoon and level method to avoid over-measuring the flour. Use a spoon to lightly scoop flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
Substituting Whole Wheat Flour: These cookies are especially delicious when using whole wheat flour! We recommend using 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour and 1 cup (130 g) whole wheat flour for the perfect blend.
Peanut butter: I used a creamy natural peanut butter where the only ingredient was peanuts. Omit the salt in this recipe if using a regular peanut butter such as Skippy or Jif.
Storing: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or for up to a week in the fridge. Baked peanut butter miso cookies can also be frozen for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 178.24
- Sugar: 11.63g
- Sodium: 145.04mg
- Fat: 10.29g
- Saturated Fat: 4.44g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.32g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18.74g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 3.19g
- Cholesterol: 24.3mg
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