Miso-Mayo-Peanut butter cookie 味噌マヨネーズ, ピーナッツバタークッキー

This unusual recipe came in a freebie cookie recipe book from the local Giant grocery store. This recipe drew my wife’s attention because of the unusual combination of ingredients, i.e. miso, mayonnaise and peanut butter.  She came to me and asked which miso she should use (I have a collection of miso). Since it was for a cookie, I suggested “Saikyo” miso 西京味噌 which is a white sweet miso famous in Kyoto 京都 (“Sai” 西 meaning “West” and  “kyo” 京 meaning “capital” i.e. “West capital” which is “Kyoto” as opposed to “To(u)” meaning “East” 東”  and “kyo” 京 meaning capital which is “Tokyo”  東京).  In any case, she made this cookie which was quite good. I could certainly taste the peanut butter but if I had not been told I would not have guessed “mayo” and “miso” were included. Although I have to say they probably added to the overall peanut butter taste which was very rich; more so than other peanut butter cookies I've tasted. She also added a Hershey’s chocolate chip in the center of the cookie for "good measure".

I will ask my wife to fill in the rest.

Ingredients:
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter at room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup miso paste

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Hershey's chocolate chip (optional)

Sugar to coat the cookies

Directions

Mix together the dry ingredients flour through salt. In another bowl cream the butter, mayo and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla mixing to combine. Then add the miso and peanut butter mixing until completely combined. Slowly add the butter, egg, miso, peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients to form a dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least and hour until it is thoroughly chilled and can be rolled into the ball. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the coating sugar and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and while they are still hot press a chocolate chip into the middle of the cookie. 

These are without a doubt the best peanut butter cookies we've ever had. They are nicely chewy but the main thing is the flavor is very intense and rich. We figure this must come from the umami provided by the mayo and the miso. They are also very good slightly heated in the microwave.