Delicious Soft and Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

 

What day isn't a good day for chocolate and peanut butter? This was my first time making this particular recipe, tweaking the ingredient list a little bit.  I think they turned out really well, and so does the empty cookie plate from our family night last night.  I'll be taking most of them to a church program tonight and hope everyone 

enjoys them as much as my family did.

The Recipe

1 cup unsalted butter                                             1 t vanilla

1 cup crunchy peanut butter                                   2 1/2 cups unbleached 

1 cup white sugar                                                           all-purpose flour                        

1 cup packed brown sugar                                      1 t baking powder 

1 egg                                                                    1/2 t salt

2 egg whites                                                          1 1/2 t baking soda

1 package chocolate chips                                           

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, sift together flour (I use all-purpose unbleached flour), baking powder, baking soda, and salt (I love to use Redmond Realsalt sea salt, found at Target or your local health food store).  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter (I like to use natural and organic unsalted butter, such as Tillamook-found at Walmart, and Archer Farms-found at Target), peanut butter (I use natural Skippy peanut butter) and sugars (for white sugar, I use organic Florida Crystals brand, found at Walmart).  Beat in egg, egg whites and vanilla.  Stir flour mixture into batter mixture.

Scoop into balls with a medium size cookie (or ice cream) scoop and drop onto parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray about 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown.  Do not over-bake.  Transfer to a wire rack.  

While cookies are cooling, lay out a large piece of parchment paper on top of a large movable surface (I like to use a larger cookie pan or a large pizza pan).  Melt 1 bag milk chocolate chips (I love Ghirardelli), in a medium microwave-safe bowl, in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring in between melting times, until the chocolate is melted and silky smooth.  Working with one cookie at a time, cover the front half of the cookie with melted chocolate using a large spoon, turn and cover half of the bottom of the cookie, scrape off excess on both sides.  Place the finished cookies on the prepared parchment paper.  When the parchment is filled, transfer cookies to the refrigerator so the chocolate will set.  

Smart Little Cookie Tip: 

You might like to chop roasted peanuts or peanut butter chips and sprinkle them on top of the chocolate before the chocolate sets, to make it a bit more scrumptious.  

Voila! And Enjoy!