Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

My birthday gift to you: For the month of July, I’m sharing some favorite cookie recipes. I love baking, and I especially love baking cookies. These are some of my favorites.

I know I have already shared a chocolate-peanut butter combo cookie. These are a little different in that the batter itself is peanut buttery. Please be sure to use good dark chocolate for the chips/chunks or these veer into the too-sweet area.

Also, you may have noticed that I like to sprinkle on flaky salt to sweets. In this case, the salt is a whole-hearted nod towards those salty peanuts you like to enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably one without added oils)

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups dark chocolate chips or chunks

flaky salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 ºF, with one rack in the upper third and one in the lower third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, or a wooden spoon, vigorously beat the mixture until smooth.

Stir in the egg and vanilla.

Gradually stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a tablespoon, drop rounded 1 1/2 T dough portions onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if using.

Place one sheet on the upper rack and one on the lower; bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, switching the sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store the cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!