I've been on a sweet kick lately.
Actually, I'm always on a sweet kick-- I've been on a cookie kick lately...
I've made more batches of cookies in the past 2 weeks than I've ever made in my life. No, really.
I don't bake. So, I just never have. I did go through this phase about 3 years ago when I made cupcakes ALL of the time. A lot them are actually on this blog but just a fair warning-- my baking skills were about a thousand times worse back then. I keep them on here for pure entertainment.
Whenever I have absolutely no idea what flavor combo to do for anything sweet; cookies, cakes, ice cream, even breakfast like smoothies or oatmeal-- chocolate & peanut butter never fails to please me. It's the most amazing and classic combination, in my opinion.
I mean hello, Reese's!!
To tell you the truth, I actually hate Reese's. I know, surprising.
The thing is, I don't like my peanut butter all congealed like that. I like it melty and gooey, or just flavored into something. But when it's just a block of hard peanut butter, I'm not into it. The milk chocolate doesn't help either.
These cookies are my new favorites!
They're almost like shortbread on the outside and thick, chewy peanut butter cookies on the inside.
And can we just admire how FAT these babies are?? Like they're (almost) the size of my hand, and so thick it's crazy...
Plus there's a chocolate version!!
Okay, speaking of Chocolate. I found this AMAZING chocolate company at this cute store in Hot Springs, Arkansas over Spring Break-- so cute I even kept the wrapper and pinned it on my wall... You can clearly see my addiction.
Anyways, they're located in Nashville, so I obviously had to buy it. AND it was Salt & Pepper flavored. Yes, salt and pepper flavored DARK chocolate. And it was incredible.
Okay, back to the cookies.
They also have this incredible sugar-y, gritty, crumble to them (my friend Mikayla calls it "sandy"), the chocolate ones especially, that acts as the finishing touch.
I'm just going to get into the recipe, because trust me, you shouldn't wait any longer.
Peanut Butter/Chocolate Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 12 large cookies
- 1/2 cup oat flour*
- 1 cup self-rising flour*
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter OR 8 oz. butter flavored shortening*
- pinch salt
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1+ cup white chocolate chips (I used 1 but use as much to your liking)
For Chocolate Version (ADD to original recipe):
- 8 oz. melted bittersweet chocolate
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar*
*Mandatory for chewiness- grind oats until smooth flour if do not have any store-bought
**Can sub 2 cups of either flour if out of the other; add 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder + 1/2 tsp. baking soda if using only all-purpose
***Shortening makes for a more cracked/shortbread outside-- Butter makes for a thicker denser cookie-- both work perfectly
****Use only granulated sugar in the chocolate version- so 2 3/4 cups in total
Pre-heat oven to 350º
Beat sugar and butter/shortening until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda/powder (if using only all-purpose) and Peanut Butter and beat until smooth. Add chocolate, more sugar, and more peanut butter if making chocolate versions here. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.
On a greased baking tray, for balls and flatten to about 1 1/4 inch thick cookies and palm sized (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter).
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until lightly golden, cracked, and still fairly soft. Let sit until hardened on baking tray. Then move to cooling rack.
All you need now is a tall, ice-cold glass of milk and you're all set!!
XOXO
-Cecilia A.
