Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Impress the In-Laws with these 3 Simple Recipes for Peanut Butter Desserts

It’s nearly foolproof: Bring a woman dessert and she’ll like you. Bring her a dessert with peanut butter and you’ll be welcomed into the family with open arms and an ugly Christmas sweater to pose for the family portrait. So repeat after me: Pea-nut-butter.

Plus, there’s nothing sexier than a man who cooks.

Recommended Videos

During the holidays, when you meet/visit the in-laws or that new flame’s mother (win over her mother and you’re set, buddy), try swapping that nice bottle of wine for a plate of home-made desserts, featuring naturally delicious almond butter, hazelnut butter, and peanut butter. Both the taste and the effort that went into making them will be instantly recognized and appreciated. Heck, bring some wine too …

Justin Gold, the founder of Justin’s — the popular brand of natural and organic nut butters and peanut butter cups you may have seen at Starbucks, Whole Foods, and your local grocers — gave The Manual three of his favorite peanut butter dessert recipes to share with you.

“What’s sure to warm everyone’s heart this holiday season — including the in-laws — is a gift that makes you feel good, does good, and tastes amazing; like say, organic edible white chocolate cookie dough.” (Yes… we have that recipe.) Gold adds, “It’s a way to spread some holiday cheer and is an inventive, unexpected twist to your seasonal favorites like gingerbread cookies … need I say more?”

Get your apron on and bust out the flour. You’ve got some work to do, man. The next step: What to wear to your in-laws’ holiday party.

Edible White Chocolate Sugar Cookie Dough

Edible White Chocolate Sugar Cookie Dough
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.
  2. Store in refrigerator and enjoy!

Almond Butter Gingerbread Cookies

justins almond butter gingerbread cookies
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cookie ingredients:

  • 1/4 Cup Justin’s Almond Butter (classic or maple)
  • 1 1/2 cups

    whole wheat pastry flour

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp molasses
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Icing ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

  1. In a large bowl, beat together butter, almond butter, and brown sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Add dry ingredients (flour through spices) and mix until just combined.
  2. Roll dough into a large ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least two hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
  4. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, egg white, and lemon juice. Ice cookies and enjoy!

Chocolate Hazelnut Babka

Chocolate Hazelnut Babka
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup 2-percent milk, warmed
  • 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

  1. Combine milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for five minutes.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, and flour. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on low, immediately followed by the yeast mixture. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Mix the dough 7-10 minutes, until smooth.
  3. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and then let rise until doubled in size — about 2 hours.
  4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and coat the parchment with cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a 9-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread the Chocolate Hazelnut Butter evenly over the dough. Roll the rectangle lengthwise into a jelly roll shape and cut it down the length of the roll so that you have two long pieces. Twist the two dough pieces around each other, and place in the prepared loaf pan. Let rise for an hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Looking for some holiday music, but tired of the same old tunes? Check out our Christmas playlist below.

Feature image courtesy of Justin’s/Facebook.

Jahla Seppanen
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Born and raised off-the-grid in New Mexico, Jahla Seppanen is currently a sports, fitness, spirits, and culture writer in…
Topics
Coffee molds: What’s really inside your coffee?
All about mycotoxins
Whole beans and ground coffee

Imagine you open a package of cheese from your fridge to find something green and fuzzy growing on it. Your immediate reaction (beyond saying "ew") probably involves throwing it in the trash immediately. Molds on foods come in all varieties, yet not all are visible to the naked eye, such as mycotoxins.

Coffee molds are one example, which could be living on your coffee beans without you even knowing. These toxic compounds are odorless and invisible and can only be identified through lab testing. Do you know what's inside your cup of coffee? Most of us don't know if our coffee has mold. Here's what you should know about coffee molds and how to avoid them.
What are coffee molds?

Read more
These easy summer grilling ideas go way beyond burgers and corn
Sun's out, grills ready
Diverse group of friends and family grilling sausages, corn, and chicken skewers at a barbecue party. Outdoor social gathering. Summer food and cooking concept.

I look forward to summer grilling all year; it’s the one time cooking feels less like a chore and more like an excuse to slow down, be outside, and eat something fresh off the fire. Whether it’s fruit, fish, or a pile of veggies, everything just tastes better with a bit of char. These summer grilling ideas are all about easy prep, bold flavors, and making the most of what’s in season. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just grilling for one, these recipes help turn even the simplest ingredients into something that feels like summer on a plate.

Grilled watermelon and mint

Read more
Keurig’s tiniest-ever K-cup coffee maker is here
This tiny brewer is big on taste
K-Mini Mate™ Brewer in Glamping Green

Brewing at-home coffee just got a lot more exciting for fans of single-serve coffee machines. Today, Keurig has launched a deliciously impactful new Keurig K-Mini Mate brewer. This brewer's size will surprise you, leaving you wondering how it's possible even to make a coffee maker that tiny. Available exclusively at Target retailers nationwide, the new Keurig coffee maker delivers big taste in a compact package, ideal for the smallest countertops and kitchen spaces. At just 4 inches wide, the Keurig K-Mini Mate is the smallest-ever Keurig coffee brewer to hit the market.

The K-Mini Mate Brewer is compatible with any Keurig K-Cup pod and fits effortlessly into a variety of compact spaces. Ideal for apartments, offices, small kitchens, and more, the Keurig K-Mini Plus retains the same advanced coffee-making technology found in larger Keurig coffee makers.

Read more