“Peanut Buddy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Today at the breakfast table, I broke the news that it was “Family Cleaning Day,” and proceeded to list a series of chores I thought the kids could handle independently while I tackled a deadline for work. Clearing the breakfast dishes, I reminded everyone of their duties and headed off to my desk with visions of cleaned closets and dusted pianos dancing in my head.
An hour later, I headed back upstairs to check on the kids’ progress, only to find my 12-year-old banging pans around in the kitchen. “What,” I asked her, pointing to the cooling racks set out on the countertop, “are those doing there?”
“I’m baking cookies,” she answered. “I thought everyone would like a snack, you know, at break time. For Family Cleaning Day.” “Ahh,” I said. “Could you possibly bake the cookies after you do your cleaning chores?”
“Well,” she replied, turning away to take a stick of butter out of the fridge, “I could, but then we wouldn’t have cookies for break time. It won’t take long, and I promise to clean up.” Interesting, how I still fall for that one.
Four hours later, the scent of peanut butter and chocolate cookies was filling the house and the last batch came out of the oven. This recipe made at least 4 dozen cookies. Which is a good thing, because they’re pretty darn delicious, and also, guess who got stuck with the dishes? Turns out that four hours of pushing cookie sheets into the oven was enough time in the kitchen for my girl.
So, now they have something to eat tomorrow, on Family Cleaning Day, the Kitchen Edition.
“Peanut Buddy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies”
(adapted from Mrs. Field’s Cookie Book, “Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies”)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips*
- 11/4 cups light* brown sugar, firmly packed
- 11/4 cups white sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
In a large bowl, blend sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla, and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. With a wet fork gently press a crisscross pattern into the top of the cookies. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until cookies are slightly browned on the edges.
Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to a wire rack.
*My daughter’s adaptations. Also, she drizzled dark chocolate over the top of each cookie and added fresh roasted peanuts. (A girl after my own heart!)
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
