Boiled Peanut Butter Cookies From Scott Peacock

You might already love these cookies. They take all of five minutes to make, without heating the oven (or you). They're well-loved across the U.S.—some call them preacher cookies, some call them poodgies. But there is an art to nailing the glossy tops and fudgy middles. This recipe includes the tips chef Scott Peacock has gathered over a lifetime. As Scott writes in The Gift of Southern Cooking, “These are, hands down, my very favorite cookie from childhood. I first tasted them at our next-door neighbor’s, though they quickly became my sister Janet’s specialty and a family classic. Quick, easy, and cooked on top of the stove, they are really more confection than cookie. And be forewarned, they are powerfully addictive.” A few more of Scott’s tips: Any peanut butter will work, creamy, crunchy, unsweetened, or not—they’ll all just give slightly different flavors. Same with the unsweetened cocoa: Natural or Dutch-process are both good—the former will be deeper and darker, the latter will give you more of a classic brownie flavor. Any milk works here. Rolled oats will work in place of the quick-cooking variety. Try to choose a saucepan that isn’t especially wide, so that your moisture doesn’t evaporate too quickly, to get cookies that are set but still soft and pliable. And be sure to try one while it’s still warm. Recipe from The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks (Knopf, April 2003). This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.Want to hear more about this recipe? On here.