No Chinese New Year celebration is complete without Chinese peanut cookies. This recipe uses peanuts, butter, all-purpose flour, and sugar; very simple ingredients with delicious peanut taste. Peanut and peanut butter lovers will definitely love these must have Chinese New Year peanut cookies.
In a mixing bowl, combine ground peanut, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Slowly pour melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix until it become a smooth dough.
Pinch a small amount of dough (about 10 gram, or a heaping teaspoon), roll into a ball and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all dough is used up.
To make the indentation in the cookies, I use the cap of a ballpoint.
Brush the top of the cookies with egg yolk.
Preheat oven to 170 Celcius (340 Fahrenheit), bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool completely before storing.
Notes
(*) To roast peanuts, preheat oven to to 180 Celcius (350 Fahrenheit), then spread the peanuts on a baking tray in one layer. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Then let the peanuts cooled completely before grinding.
(**) Traditionally, 1 cup of lard is used instead of butter.