North African Peanut Butter Cookies / Les Montecaos

Since geography always determines what food is local, these cookies from North Africa use peanuts in the dough rather than tahini. Their name reflects the multilingual heritage of Sephardic Jews who, on the one hand, wanted to retain the Spanish of the original cookie, “mantecados,” and on the other incorporated the local French in the name. Originally from Andalucía, and popular from the sixteenth century onwards, the mantecado’s binding ingredient was lard. As a result, Sephardic cooks adapted this recipe to kosher laws by using peanut butter instead. This switch also makes them very contemporary and vegan. Our source,  Jacqueline Cohen-Azuelos, in her Fleurs de safran, tells us they are not only very fragile, but also very rich in calories. However, they are worth it as the peanut butter does melt in your mouth.

 

Yield: approximately 3 dozen

 

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy, as desired

1 cup peanut or other vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

½ t ground cloves

1 t ground cinnamon

3 ½ cups / 350 gr sifted flour + ¼ cup or more for kneading (this will depend on the oiliness of your peanut butter)

1 t baking powder

 

powdered sugar and cinnamon for garnish

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C
  2. Mix the peanut butter with the sugar, oil and spices until well incorporated.
  3. Add baking powder to flour.
  4. Start adding the flour little by little to the peanut butter mix, making sure it is evenly mixed. Add a little more flour so that it becomes firm enough to form little balls in the palm of your hand.
  5. Put mix into fridge for 20 minutes to harden.
  6. Form walnut size balls on a prepared oven tray (parchment paper or a silicon pad). If desired, press your thumb into the center making an imprint and place seeds or nuts there (sunflower seeds, walnut or almond pieces)
  7. Bake for 25 minutes and check them.
  8. When the balls are lightly browned, test them by lifting one off the tray. If the bottom is dark brown, remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.
  9. When completely cool, sprinkle powdered sugar and cinnamon on them. They can be stored for a few days in an airtight container.