Claudia’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m not sure how many years I have been making these cookies, but it’s something like 15 or so. I have never met another peanut butter chocolate chip cookie better than this (and by the way, if you are making a peanut butter cookie, WHY on earth would you not add chocolate chips?). This also happens to be the only cookie dough that I am tempted (okay, I fully admit it) to eat. Not taste. Eat! 

It is Claudia’s recipe, mother of my dear friend, Jenny, and for the longest time I just had this recipe jotted down on an old envelope. My mom and sisters copied it, and that was fortuitous because somewhere along the way I lost the envelope. Not long after that, Claudia herself called, asking if we still had the recipe because she had lost track of it too! So to prevent future widespread panic situations, I am putting this officially “out there” on the web for one and all, never to be lost again.

And, of course, I want people to know what a darn good peanut butter cookie should taste like. The chips? Dark chocolate please. I will have no other, but suit yourself. Just be prepared for these cookies to disappear fast — you might only have yourself to blame.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Claudia Anesi, adapted by Stephanie Kunstle

Note: I made a couple of small changes . . . butter replaces shortening, and I decreased the sugar because nearly every cookie recipe is over-sugared in my opinion. As always, the result will be only as good as your ingredients, so use the best stuff available if you want to achieve perfection.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup peanut butter (I use an organic, creamy variety)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 and 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda (a pinch less at high altitude)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F
2. In your Kitchen Aid mixer or with a hand-held mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla, and beat together.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt, and add to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, then add chocolate chips and fold in (or mix in gently on low speed).
4. Using a small ice cream scoop, form balls of dough and place about 3 inches apart on a heavy baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten the ball with the tines marking perpendicular for the traditional peanut butter cookie look and feel.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Let cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to paper towels to fully cool . . . or . . .
6. Enjoy them warm with an icy cold glass of milk!