Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Apparently yesterday (March 1) was National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day! I missed the boat, so today is belated National Peanut Butter Day for me. I first found out about this glorious day on A Nerd Cooks' facebook page, where Lauren posted this recipe for chocolate peanut butter cookies from Averie Cooks. Those look AMAZING and I will definitely be making them soon, but while I was on that website I saw this recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies. And I starting making them right away.

I like this recipe a lot because not only are the cookies sooo wonderfully peanut buttery, but it's also secretly gluten-free, which is interesting for me since I don't usually bake gluten free. I generally don't feel inspired to bake anything if the recipe name makes a bigger deal of what is not included than what is. But these cookies do not have any butter, flour or white sugar, so that's different. It's nice to bake with so few ingredients!

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PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

From Averie Cooks

Averie Cooks' note about what peanut butter to use: "Although natural peanut butter or homemade peanut butter may work, I recommend using store-bought peanut butter like Jif, Skippy, Peter Pan or similar so that the cookies bake up thicker and spread less. Using natural or homemade peanut butter tends to result in thinner and flatter cookies that are prone to spreading while baking."

1 cup creamy peanut butter   

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

6 oz chocolate (semi-sweet, dark or bittersweet - chopped or, as I did, chips + peanut M&M's!)

Beat the PB, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well combined (on med-hi if you're using a mixer). It should be smooth instead of gritty, which could take 3 minutes. Add the baking soda and mix until incorporated. Add chocolate and gently mix in. Form a ball and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. 

Preheat to 350. Form 2" balls, squishing then down a little on the top. Bake on a covered baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. They will come out pretty soft but don't over-bake! Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.