Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

We have been trying to behave this week on food.  We even have lettuce in the fridge.  We are actually using the crisper drawer in the fridge for what it was meant for.  And here I thought it was just extra storage for unsalted butter sticks.

But after dealing with our third round of colds this year, and a three hour trip to the dentist today, we needed a little chocolate.  Luckily, my husband has coworkers who will eat anything we bring them so most of the cookies are headed their way.

I have to be honest.  I am not sold on these cookies yet.  It is probably because the original recipe calls for chunky peanut butter.  Don't get me wrong.  We LOVE chunky peanut butter.  But we have been die hard fans of NATURAL peanut butter for years.  And without the added sugar and other additives, the natural stuff will alter the outcome of the cookies.  They still taste pretty darn good.  But I am very curious to see what a difference a good ole scoop of Jif would make to these cookies.

What you will need

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter
1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Two words for this recipe.  Super easy.  Cream the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter together in a mixing bowl.  Once everything is light and fluffy, add in the egg and vanilla.  Now throw in your dry ingredients and mix together.  Once done, fold in your chocolate chips.  How easy is that?  I wasn't lying when I said "super".

Portion the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

I will try to do an update soon with regular peanut butter to show a difference. Keep you posted!

Print Recipe - Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie

************STATUS UPDATE************

So I had an epiphany the other night in the shower.  Some people figure out how to end world hunger while shampooing their hair, others might realize just how to beat that level in the video game they are playing while soaping up...I think about cookies during my 10 minutes away from my screaming 3 year old.  

Not only was changing the peanut butter the key to these cookies but actually using the right type of leavening agent helped too.  I know.  I know.  I obviously was having a moment.  For some reason, I knew I needed baking soda but my hand grabbed the baking powder.  Hence the reason the cookie dough had a mousse like texture the first time around.  

But using baking soda and crunchy Jif, the second batch turned out so much better. They were a little sweeter and a little softer too!