Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Throughout the week, we are having different family members over and I like to have some sweets, on hand, so I take a baking morning or baking night to accomplish this.


Do you have this situation.  You start baking, all is well, the kitchen is neat, the baking goes smoothly.  By the third recipe, you find yourself covered with chocolate from only the third recipe, nothing is washed or put away and you just want to call it a morning or a day?  That is me. (In a half hour, I am ready to come back and bake again.)


I enjoy baking and I am usually methodical with setting up and cleaning up.  I wash measuring cups and cookie scoops and baking pans, as I go along and they drain while, I get the next recipe going.  This is enjoyable baking.


That third recipe loses some of the fun factor.  I let the dirty dishes pile up in the sink.  Instead of getting out all the ingredients and reading the recipe through, I play it by ear.  Oops, this has peanut butter in it.  Where is the peanut butter?  Did you eat it?  Do we have any?  I found it, half gone.  Will I have enough?  Crisis averted.


What?  It uses both baking soda and powder.  Such a nerve!  


......and can you tell me why peanut butter cookies have to have the criss-cross on them.  I made the first batch with them and they flattened out to almost nothingness. So there, Smitten Kitchen, I placed the next batch, shaped by my cookie scooper.  They came out better looking.  I am feeling better, now. 

Peanut Butter/ Chocolate Chunk  Cookies adapted from   Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 unsalted margarine, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter  (I didn't have chunky.)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon Rice milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped dark chocolate

Method:

1.Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

2. In separate bowl beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth then add the sugars, beat until smooth, and add the egg, beating until just incorporated. Add Rice milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

3. Lightly grease baking sheet and place teaspoon size cookies a couple inches apart. Make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie using the back of a fork.  OR DON"T!

4. Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove.


Now, get over to Smitten Kitchen and thank her for this fantastic recipe.

Linked to Sweet Tooth Friday              Tastetastic Thursday