Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Mmmmmm. Cookies....

Today is chilly, so it's a good day to bake some cookies! I’m always asked for the recipe when I bring these. I usually double the batch, and make the cookies a little smaller, but if you like a big cookie, go for it! You could make a bigger batch and freeze some of the formed cookies to throw in the oven or share when you bring a meal, too.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)

¾ c. smooth peanut butter

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. dark brown sugar

1 large egg

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 c. all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. baking soda

6 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped coarsely (or buy the chocolate chunks)

Heat oven to 325 – 350, depending on oven. In mixing bowl (use paddle attachment on electric mixer), cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until combined. Sift together flour and baking soda, and add to butter mix, beating just to combine. Fold in chocolate chunks.

Using size 1-1/2 ice cream scoop, form dough and place on baking sheet lined with parchment (heaping spoonfuls shaped with your hands are fine, too!). Flatten slightly, and bake until golden, about 18-20 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer to wire cooling rack to cool. Makes 14 large cookies.

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Another Take on Comfort Food

Sometimes there's nothing you can do but cook. I've had the displeasure of seeing 2 young moms in our school community recieve cancer diagnoses in the last 18 months. If you're like me, when someone you know is hurting, you want to help, but lots of times, there's not much you can do. If you can cook, you can take away some of the stress of getting the family fed and bring a meal or two. In fact, even if you can't cook, you can pick up a meal at a restaurant or a bag of groceries, or even a gift card for a local restaurant. I think it comes naturally to some - the church and school communities I grew up in always loved with food - church potlucks, school spaghetti dinners, and of course lots of meals for people who needed them. But not everyone has done this before, so it might be overwhelming. As in my "feeding a crowd" blurb, there are a few things to keep in mind. Don't try to impress - don't try new recipes. Find out if you'r...

A Cooking Baker

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