Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie
These are my go-to cookies. Over the course of the past year, I have made these cookies at least a dozen times. Between my own fondness, my roommates requests, and the simple combination of delicious flavors, these cookies are always a success.
Peanut butter and chocolae is a match made in baking heaven. These cookies are moist, slightly chewy with a crisp edge. The chocolate chips melt in your mouth and swirl with the creamy peanut butter on your tongue. All you need is a glass of milk, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched inbetween a pair of these delights, and then you will be in dessert bliss.
This recipe easily makes three to four dozen (in other words a lot of cookies!), making them nice to share, and also making yourself suseptable to eating quite a few. I applaud Smitten Kitchen, yet again for another wonderful recipe. I highly recommend baking these, and make sure to not skimp out on the sugar coating on the outside, and preferably use smooth peanut butter rather than chunky- your results will be much better! Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yields: 3-4 dozen small cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature*
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips*
For Sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together with the sugars, and beat until smooth. Beat in the bowl of an electric mixer, or use a hand mixer.
4. Add the egg and mix well.
5. Add the vanilla and milk.
6. Add the flower mixture and mix thoroughly.
7. Stir in the chips by hand.
8. Place sprinkling sugar in a separate container (bowl, plate, or flat surface.)
9. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls in the sugar, then onto un-greased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.
10. Using a fork, lightly indent with criss-cross patten, but do not overly flatten cookies.
11. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake!
12. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
13. Let cookies sit on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool.
What I Did Differently:
1. I recommend using smooth peanut butter (as does Smitten Kitchen), although I have used chunky and it didn't make much of a difference. Even though I usually like nuts in my cookies, I prefer these without peanut chunks in them, I find that smooth peanut butter makes for a better consistency.
2. I have never used peanut butter chips in these. Instead I use 3/4 to 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
3. I personally don't have a preference between dark or light brown sugar. However, I have used both to make these cookies, and I haven't noticed a difference (so don't go out of your way to buy light if you have dark, just use it!).
4. For the tablespoon of milk I usually use 1%, because that's what I drink. However, I had to use soy milk one time, and I didn't notice a change in the cookies (but do not skip the milk, it definitely helps create a smooth creamy cookie!).
5. The criss-cross pattern on top is only for aesthetics in my opinion, I've forgotten to do it and it hasn't made a difference.
6. These cookies will seem under-baked, but trust me they aren't!
7. Also, you will need more than one tablespoon of sprinkling sugar. I usually start with a tablespoon and just keep eye-balling and adding more to the bowl I am using to coat the dough.
