Peanut Butter Poppers. You Can’t Stop At Just One. And Yes, They Are Better Than Pringles.

Remember the old Pringles ad? Once you pop…you can’t stop! Same goes for these babies.

I love peanut butter. I really do. I have loved it since kindergarten, when I used to take PBnJ sandwiches to school. And when I moved back to India, I was very disappointed- as saddened and melancholy as a ten-year-old could be- to encounter the peanut butter that was available in India then. I’m talking mid-1990s, in Kerala, no imported Skippy and Jif and American Garden; no home-grown Sundrop; only one brand called Prutina and it was very upsetting indeed. In taste, texture and packaging. 90’s kids from India, remember this?

photo courtesy | shop.bt

I mean, this stuff was so coarse, it would break toast. As in, if I tried to spread it on toast, the bread gave away beneath my butter knife.

But, since I was not a whiny kid, I just did without for years. And sparingly ate peanut butter every time someone would bring back a jar or two from abroad. Sheesh.

I missed peanut butter. I really did. It was like I left behind an old friend.

Anyway. Skip to today when we get all kinds of peanut butter in different flavours/jars/textures! I love it. I don’t care that I am in my late 20’s and still consume it like a kindergartener. Peanut butter is awesome. It may not be on the higher end of the phancy scale, like chocolate fondue or marzipan, but it’s still pretty darn good. And the only thing better than peanut butter in a sandwich is peanut butter BAKED. The chewy goodness and sheer delight of biting into a peanut butter cookie or brownie or cutting your spoon into chocolate and peanut butter pie…

This recipe for quick peanut butter cookies has been doing the rounds. I found it on The Patterned Plate first, which led me to the recipe at Gluten-Free Girl, and it was so easy, there was no way I could not try it. Plus, I had a brand new cake pops pan that I had been dying to use, and this seemed perfect for it. Instead of cookies, I could make little peanut butter cookie pops!! I thought it would be fun to make these cookies into little candylike balls which you could just pop in your mouth, one after another.

I used Sundrop Peanut butter, the creamy option. I have seen Sundrop peanut butter in stores, but I never bothered to pick it up, assuming it would not be that great. I’d head straight for imported Skippy and stick with that, even though it was the more expensive option of the two. But since I wanted to try this recipe as soon as I possibly could, I had to choose Sundrop since my neighbourhood grocer did not have Skippy in stock. And you know what? I am glad I did. Sundrop creamy peanut butter is pretty great. It is smooth, creamy, not overly sweet and spreads like a dream, without damaging crumbly soft bread. And priced at Rs 160 for a 462 gram jar, it is value for money too. (I read a positive review of Sundrop peanut butter in the July issue of BBC Good Food India, but they also add that there is a higher sodium content. I checked the label, and it is 118 mg for every 2 tablespoons, to be exact.)

I actually wanted crunchy, but my grocer didn’t have crunchy. So I added some rolled oats just to give it some texture. I have so much lying around, and I am always looking for ways to use it. I am not really big on oatmeal.

PEANUT BUTTER POPPERS (Adapted from Gluten Free Girl)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs (The original calls for just one egg; I used two because I was adding oats and felt that an extra egg would help bring everything together.)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup castor or white sugar, to roll the dough in

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180C
• In a large bowl, cream sugar and peanut butter.
• Then add in the egg and baking powder and beat some more.
• Add in the rolled oats and beat a little more.
• You will get a sticky, slicky batter. I guess this may vary depending on the brand of peanut butter you use; but I got a really slick batter.
• Roll into little balls with your hands, coat them in sugar, and place in a cake pop tray.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes at 180C
• Cool and serve!

Store in an airtight container. I reckon this can last for upto a week; but we finished ours in 3 days.

Chewy, crunchy around the edges and fast…you cannot stop at just one!!

My peanut butter poppers came out with a little caramelized sugary lace around the edges, giving the effect of a flying saucer. This would make a great party treat if your child is a sci-fi fan and wants to have an X-Files or alien-themed party. (Just a suggestion. Easier than making UFO shaped cupcakes, right?)

Sometimes, instant is most exceedingly good, C 🙂

Hope everyone is having a good week!