Chocolate Peanut Butter Barley Cookies

A Different Kind of Peanut Butter Cookie

If you’ve never baked with barley flakes before, this is a great place to start. They look a little like rolled oats, but barley has its own distinctly nutty, malty flavor that becomes even more pronounced when toasted.

That flavor happens to be particularly good with chocolate and peanut butter. A little cinnamon adds warmth without turning these into a spice cookie, while brown sugar keeps the centers chewy and gives the edges plenty of caramelized flavor.

The extra step of toasting the barley flakes is worth it and is necessary to make the texture work well in the cookie. Otherwise they can tend to be a little chewy. It only takes a few minutes, and it transforms an ingredient into something you can actually enjoy in the finished cookie. I get my barley flakes from Janie’s Mill if you’re looking to source them.

Ingredients

1½ cups (149 g) barley flakes, toasted and cooled

½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda (use ¼ tsp if baking at altitude)

½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt*

½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup (140 g) smooth or crunchy peanut butter

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

*If using salted peanut butter, reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon.

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toast the Barley Flakes

Spread the barley flakes in an even layer on a clean, unlined baking sheet. Toast for about 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until they smell distinctly nutty and toasty and have taken on just a little color.

Keep an eye on them toward the end—they can go from pleasantly toasted to overly browned fairly quickly.

Remove from the oven and allow the barley flakes to cool completely before making the cookie dough. Adding them while they're still warm can soften or melt the butter and change the texture of your cookies.

Make the Cookie Dough

n a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the cooled toasted barley flakes and toss to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix again to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Add the flour mixture and toasted barley flakes all at once. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears and the barley flakes are evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.

Chill the Dough

Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. This resting time is important: it allows the toasted barley flakes and flour to hydrate while the butter firms up, giving the cookies a better texture and helping control their spread. The barley may be too chewy if you skip this step.

Once thoroughly chilled, scoop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Lightly press down on the tops to flatten them slightly.

For the best texture, keep the dough cold and bake the cookies straight from the refrigerator. If you're working in batches, return the remaining dough to the refrigerator rather than leaving it on the counter.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

The chilled dough can also be scooped and frozen for later. Once the portions are firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe container.

Storage

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

The portioned raw cookie dough can also be frozen. Freeze the scooped cookies on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for longer storage.

Baker’s Note: Why Toast the Barley?

Barley flakes can be used much like rolled oats, but their flavor is a little different. Barley has a naturally nutty, slightly malty character that pairs especially well with chocolate. They are also a little more toothsome than their oat counterparts.

Toasting the flakes before adding them to the dough drives off some of their moisture while developing those deeper grain flavors and helps them be crunchier instead of chewy. Just be sure to let them cool completely before mixing them into the dough.