Dad's Favorite Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

 The forgotten cookie. That's what my dad's convinced, at least. But they really are difficult to find when I think about it. It's easy to find peanut butter OR chocolate chip, but you rarely see the glorious combo in cookie form! So in honor of my dad, my girls & I made him a batch. A BIG batch. It's a gloomy, rainy day outside, my dad is here for his monthly visit so it was a wonderful cookie baking day! He was hinting for me to make them when we were deciding what to make, and I'm glad he did. Every time I make them, I too forget how wonderful they are. The house smells like roasted peanuts and brown sugar. Mmmmmm...

 I happen to have the most perfect & irresistible peanut butter recipe (I've tried countless recipes over the years).  So folding in some dark & milk chocolate chips just adds that extra umph that send these cookies into total cookie heaven! The cookies can be soft & chewy if you cook them my way, or if you like the more crispy peanut butter cookie with that fine crumb, you can bake them a little longer. I've probably made these about 2 dozen times and they are always easy & perfect every time. 

 I doubled this recipe, which you may notice from my pictures. I've even quadrupled this recipe with no issues, so make as many as you want & share with friends & neighbors. Tis the season for giving, right?? Happy Holidays!! 

Dad's Favorite Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies (yields 2 dozen big cookies)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural PB & they still came out perfect. But don't use the natural stuff that you have to stir. Crunchy PB can be used if you want texture of peanuts) 

1 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 Tbs pure vanilla extract

3 Tbs milk

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda 

1 1/2 -2 cups chocolate chips (depending on how chocolaty you like it. I used half good quality milk chocolate & half bittersweet)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla & milk. Whisk or use a mixer and combine until smooth & creamy. 

Don't I have the cutest little "helpers" ever??? And by helper, I mean- mess makers. But that's ok, totally worth it for the smiles & memories. And there's dad (Papa, as he is referred to by Lana), stalking us as we make the cookies! Haha 

  Then stir in your dry ingredients (flour, salt & baking soda).

 And fold in your chocolate chips. 

 You don't have to wait for these cookies to chill. (Which I love, because I'm way too impatient to wait for dough to chill) I use an average sized ice cream scoop and wipe the excess dough along the side of the bowl so you get a nice flat, even scoop to place onto your foil-lined baking sheets. This way you get uniform cookies.

 

 You can always sprinkle the top with some granulated sugar & do the double fork hash marks, but when I add the chocolate chips to this recipe, I forgo that step. (This cookies are frickin' awesome even without the chocolate chips) I bake this larger size for 12-14 min. If you make the standard tablespoon size, they will bake in about 7-8 min. Just check on them and when the bottoms start to get a slight golden brown, pull them out. This will give you a soft, chewy, wonderful cookie.

 

 Like I mentioned before, if you like them crispier, bake them a few min longer.

 Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 min. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. (IF you can wait that long....which we couldn't)

Dad's Favorite Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies (yields 2 dozen big cookies)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural PB & they still came out perfect. But don't use the natural stuff that you have to stir. Crunchy PB can be used if you want texture of peanuts) 

1 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 Tbs pure vanilla extract

3 Tbs milk

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda 

1 1/2 -2 cups chocolate chips (depending on how chocolaty you like it. I used half good quality milk chocolate & half bittersweet)

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla & milk. Whisk or use a mixer and combine until smooth & creamy. 

 

 Then stir in your dry ingredients (flour, salt & baking soda). And fold in your chocolate chips. 

 

 You don't have to wait for these cookies to chill. (Which I love, because I'm way too impatient to wait for dough to chill) I use an average sized ice cream scoop and wipe the excess dough along the side of the bowl so you get a nice flat, even scoop to place onto your foil-lined baking sheets. This way you get uniform cookies.

 

 You can always sprinkle the top with some granulated sugar & do the double fork hash marks, but when I add the chocolate chips to this recipe, I forgo that step. (This cookies are frickin' awesome even without the chocolate chips) I bake this larger size for 12-14 min. If you make the standard tablespoon size, they will bake in about 7-8 min. Just check on them and when the bottoms start to get a slight golden brown, pull them out. This will give you a soft, chewy, wonderful cookie.

 

 Like I mentioned before, if you like them crispier, bake them a few min longer.

 

 Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 min. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. (IF you can wait that long....which we couldn't) Enjoy!