All Time Favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Years ago, when I was in school, I looked forward to finishing exams in the middle of December and heading home to my parents’ house where I spent a day in their kitchen baking dozens of cookies. These peanut butter cookies were always my favorite. The peanut butter and chocolate chips balance nicely. While you may be thinking that peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are not a traditional holiday food, I personally think you should make whatever you love during this time of year.
For this recipe, I used CB’s Nuts smooth, unsweetened peanut butter, but you can use whatever kind you prefer or go big and make your own. The peanut butter taste is subtle. If you want a stronger peanut butter flavor, you can add an additional 1/4 cup of peanut butter. The same goes for the chocolate chips. The cookies are also delicious with mini chocolate chips.
I am a huge fan of using as few bowls as possible, so I add the dry ingredients directly to the already prepared batter. If this makes you nervous, you can mix the dry separately and then add them to the peanut butter batter.
INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp banking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
1 cup honey roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
Beat the butter, sugars, salt and peanut butter until smooth.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Spread the flour on top of the peanut butter mixture. Sprinkle the banking soda as evenly as possible on top of the flour. Beat carefully, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Stir in the chocolate chips and peanuts, if you are using them.
Roll about two tablespoons of dough into balls or use a scoop and place on the prepared cookie sheet at least two inches apart. Press down on each cookie with a fork or glass to flatten.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack before eating.
