Humble peanut butter actually has an interesting backstory

I hadn’t planned to replicate an episode of “America’s Test Kitchen;” I was just going to make peanut butter cookies. However, I had to make two different batches to get the right result. I first had to find sugar, because the stuff in the canister on the counter was as hard as a rock. Then I discovered the only type of peanut butter in the cupboard was the chunky variety, not ideal for this particular recipe.

In its basic form, peanut butter is simply ground peanuts in either smooth or chunky consistency. But, if you read the labels on the wide range of peanut butter varieties found on grocery shelves, you’ll find a number of other ingredients, including salt, sugar, molasses and vegetable oil. In lower-fat styles of peanut butter, soy protein and maltodextrin replace a percentage of the peanuts. 

Who invented peanut butter? Contrary to what you may have been told, it was not George Washington Carver, despite his extensive efforts to champion the potential of peanuts, documenting more than 300 uses. In fact, we should thank the Inca and Aztec civilizations for devising techniques to roast and grind peanuts into a high-protein, nutritious paste.

Canadian chemist Marcus Gilmore Edson was the first to create what he called “peanut candy” by milling roasted peanuts and adding a sweetener. Following Edson, a Saint Louis physician prepared a thicker version as food for his patients with dental problems. In the late 1890s, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (of corn flake fame) made his version even better for patients by boiling and grinding peanuts.

Before long, celebrities such as Amelia Earhart and Henry Ford touted the  benefits of this healthy source of protein, and home cooks started grinding their own homemade peanut butter. When a commercial grinder was invented in 1903, we saw the start of mass production, and peanut butter was formally introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. 

Peanuts are also called groundnuts, and food historians believe their nickname “goober” (or goober peas as mentioned in a 19th-century song) comes from the Congo word nguba. Although we call them nuts, they are botanically legumes that have a papery brown skin and form inside a tan, net-patterned pod. Now widely grown throughout the southern United States, peanuts were originally cultivated as a commercial crop in Virginia, used for food and oil, and as a cocoa substitute.

High-protein, shelf-stable peanut butter became an integral part of rations for soldiers starting with World War I, and the ubiquitous ingredient became a lunchbox staple for schoolchildren. Today, you can find an array of nut butters at the grocery, including cashew, almond, walnut and pistachio. At Fresh Market, there’s a machine in the store for customers to grind their own.

But, back to the cookies. All you need to make peanut butter is peanuts, yet the chunky stuff I used for the first batch of cookies must have had a high percentage of added oil, because they flattened and spread in the oven. After a trip to the store for smooth peanut butter, I made the second batch, which turned out perfect (see photo). 

Although some people enjoyed the crunchy texture of the darker cookies, my favorites were the soft, chewy ones. Just as in peanut butter itself, these cookies had just a few ingredients. I’ve included my basic recipe, as well as one called peanut butter blossoms, where a chocolate kiss is pressed into the center.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto a cookie sheet, about one inch apart. Flatten slightly with the tines of a fork to create a cross-hatched pattern. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container. Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 C creamy peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
24 chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine peanut butter, sugar and egg in a mixing bowl; stir until smooth. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto a cookie sheet, about one inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove to a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container. Yield: 2 dozen cookies.