Ingredients

• 1 cup salted peanuts
• additional peanuts, as topping (optional)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup sifted unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to center of oven (these will bake 1 sheet at a time).

2. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. If you have cookie sheets with only one raised rim (best for recipe) or use any cookie sheet turned upside down.

4. Line sheets with foil, shiny side up. (Don't use heavyweight, or cookies won't bake well) set aside.

5. Pour 1 cup of peanuts in bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade.

6. Add a few tablespoons of the sugar and briefly pulse machine 10 times to chop nuts into coarse pieces.

7. Some will be powdery, some coarse, and some whole, it is okay, set aside.

8. Melt butter in a small pan over moderate heat; set aside for now.

9. Combine sifted flour and baking soda; set aside.

10. Place egg, milk, melted butter, and remaining sugar in small bowl of an electric mixer.

11. Beat until mixed; add sifted dry ingredients and the peanuts. Beat again until mixed.

12. Transfer to shallow bowl for ease in handling. Spray a foil-lined sheet with Pam.

13. Place dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls (not heaping) on sheet, placing the mounds 3 inches apart. Try to keep shapes neat.

14. Top each with a few of the peanuts (if you like or with as many as you can fit on the top each cookie).

15. Bake 1 sheet at a time. After 5 minutes, reverse sheet front to back.

16. Cookies will rise, spread out, then flatten into very thin wafers with bumpy tops.

17. They will spread out to 3 1/2 to- 4 1/2-inches in diameter.

18. Cookies should bake until golden brown, then remove from oven.

19. If cookies have run into each other, cut apart immediately while very hot.

20. Cool on sheet for 1 or 2 minutes, then slide foil off sheet.

21. Let cookies stand until firm enough to be removed.

22. Will be easy to peel the foil away from backs.