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.

What type of miso should I use for this recipe?

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.

What do miso cookies taste like?

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!

Can I use chunky peanut butter?

Yes! I prefer creamy peanut butter, but chunky can also be used if you want more texture.

Do I have to use natural peanut butter?

Nope! You can use a regular peanut butter, but make sure to leave out the salt called for in the recipe.

Peanut Butter Miso Cookies - Whisked Away Kitchen

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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