Obsessed with Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter is something I eat, pretty much, on a daily basis.  On sandwiches or ice cream.  With apples or celery.  It's right after bacon on the perfect foods list. Obviously, I adore peanut butter cookies!  The ones from my childhood, rolled in sugar and smashed with a fork, have lost their allure though, so I'm always looking for was to increase the flavor.  In this recipe, I've added peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups, making a gooey, peanutty bite of heaven.

Here's what you'll need:
1/2 c butter*
1/2 c margarine*
1 c peanut butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg peanut butter chips
12 peanut butter cups

* If you like a crisp cookie, use all butter.  If you like a softer, thinner cookie, use all margarine.  I like a soft cookie that holds it's shape so I use both.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, margarine, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.

Beat on medium speed until creamed together (you won't feel sugar crystals when you rub a little between your fingers).

Roughly chop the peanut butter cups and set aside.

Add the eggs and  vanilla to the sugar mixture, beating well.   Mix in the flour, baking soda & powder and the salt, just until blended in.

Use a spoon or spatula to stir in the peanut butter chips and the peanut butter cups.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

When you're ready to bake them preheat the oven to 375.

Drop the dough by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake 11-12 minutes.  Cool on pan 2 minutes before removing.

Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate-filled Snicker doodles

Snicker doodles are one of my husband's all-time favorite cookies, but I always thought they were a little bland.  I was looking for a way to spice them up a bit and was toying with drizzling them with chocolate. That's done all the time, though, so I decided to stuff the chocolate inside.  I also made a few adjustments to the actual cookie recipe to give them a little more flavor and substance.  I must have done okay.  The hubby labelled them a winner.

Here's what you'll need:
1 c butter, room temp
3 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs, room temp
1/2 c half & half (or cinnamon-flavored coffee creamer)
7 c flour, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 packages Hershey Bliss! White Chocolate melt away flavor
1/2 c sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon

Beat the butter with a mixer until light and creamy.  Add the sugar and vanilla; continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and half & half.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix into the butter mixture, in small amounts, until well blended.  The dough will be quite stiff.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Chill 2 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the wrappers from the chocolate candy.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to portion dough.

Flatten slightly between hands.  Place one candy piece in center.

Pull up the sides and shape the dough into a ball, making sure the chocolate is completely encased.

Roll the balls in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake at 375 for 9-10 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 6 dozen.

Enjoy!

Apricot Rugelach

Rugelach is one of those cookies that looks like it might have taken a long time, but it's actually quite easy.  It starts with an easy cream cheese dough which makes it rich creamy.  The filling can be changed to fit every taste, so the results are endless.

Here's what you'll need:
1 c unsalted butter, room temp
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
2 1/2 c flour
2 c fruit preserves (I used apricot filling)

Cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Add the flour and mix just until the flour is incorporated.  Divide the dough into 3; shape each into a disk. The easiest way to do this is to put one-third on a sheet of plastic wrap.  Fold one side over.

Fold the remaining sides over, and shape the dough into a disk, using the plastic as a guide.  This will help keep your hands clean.  Flatten slightly.

Place the dough in the fridge and chill at least 1 hour and up to two days.

When you're ready to make the cookies, take the dough out of the fridge and put on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.  This will take some of the chill off the dough and allow you to roll it easier.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Roll the first disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1/4" thick.

Spread with about 3 TBSP of fruit preserves.

Cut the circle into 16 even wedges.  I use a pizza cutter to make it easier.

Beginning at the widest edge, loosely roll the dough over the filling.

Repeat with remaining dough and fruit preserves.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, just until they begin to brown.  Cool on pans 3 minutes before removing.  Makes 4 dozen.  Store, tightly covered, in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Enjoy!

Chunky Cookies

I LOVE these cookies!  They're loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips which, I believe, makes most things better.  They're high in protein and fiber, which makes them health food, right?

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 c chunky peanut butter
1/2 c butter, room temp
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
3 eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 c oatmeal (I use old fashioned)

1 c chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream the peanut butter, butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. There should not be any gritty feel from the sugar when you rub it between your fingers.

Beat in eggs, vanilla and baking soda until well mixed.

Place the oats in a large bowl.  This makes it easier to get them well incorporated.  You can use your mixer, if you want, but I was making a double batch, so this was easier for me.

Add half of the peanut butter mixture and stir until the oats are combined.

Add the rest of the peanut butter and stir until all the oats are incorporated.  Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.  Scoop cookies onto sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.

Bake 12-14 minutes, until they are browned, but still a little soft in the center.  They will firm up as they cool. Let rest on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing them.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Enjoy!

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

It's that time of year when the taste buds turn to all things pumpkin.  These pumpkin cookies are moist with just enough spice to make them interesting.  They're a great snack, and wonderful with coffee or hot chocolate.

Here's what you'll need:
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c mini chocolate chips

Sift together the flour, baking soda and powder, spices and salt in a large bowl.  This help lighten up the flour and remove lumps from the mix.  It also allows for better disbursement of the spices.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in the pumpkin, egg and vanilla.

Mix until well blended.  Add in the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing just until the flour disappears.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour (longer won't hurt it).

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Drop cookies onto sheet 2 inches apart.  I use a small cookie scoop, but you could also use a table spoon.

Bake 10-12 minutes, switching the trays halfway through baking time.  The cookies will be puffed, and no mark will remain when you touch it with your finger.

Cool thoroughly before storing.  I keep them at room temp in an airtight container.  They also freeze well. This recipe makes about 5 dozen small cookies.

Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's nothing like a really good chocolate chip cookie.  I use one that's been in my family for a long time. Of course, I've tweaked it a little to better suit my tastes.  The fact is, the recipe is less important than the techniques.  If you have the basics down, you can turn any recipe into something fabulous.  This recipe makes about 10 dozen cookies, but it can easily be cut in half and still have the same flavor results.

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temp
1 1/2 sticks margarine, room temp
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar, packed
4 eggs, room temp
1 TBSP water
2 tsp vanilla
5 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c dark chocolate chips
1 c white chocolate chips

Eggs take a long time to come to room temperature.  (The FDA says it's safe for them to be un-refrigerated for 24 hours.)  I place mine, with the butter, on a cooling rack and let it sit overnight.  Then, both are ready to use.  Room temperature items blend easier, creating a nicer dough. 

Sift together your flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.  I just run it through a colander.  This removes the lumps and adds some air to the flour, creating a lighter texture in the dough.  Set aside.

Combine the butter, margarine and sugars in a mixing bowl.  I use a mixture of butter and margarine because I like a soft-textured cookie that holds it's shape.  If you like crisper cookies, use all butter; if you like soft cookies, use all margarine.  (One warning:  margarine contains water.  The higher level of moisture will cause the cookies to spread out while baking and be very thin.)

Start on low until sugar blends in, then increase to medium.  You want to cream the sugar into the butter. That means you're going to incorporate air into the butter while dissolving the sugar.  This will take about 5 minutes and is the most important step in this recipe, or  cookie making, in general.  To test if it's done, rub a small amount between your fingers.  You should not feel any grit.  If you do, keep mixing it.

Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each.  Add the vanilla and water.  Mix well.  With the mixer on low, slower stir in the flour mixture.  Blend just enough to get the flour incorporated.  Over mixing will make the gluten in the flour bloom, creating a tough cookie.  Get ready for the chocolate chips!

The old family recipe calls for just semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I really like this combination.  Every bite is full of chocolate, and no two bites are the same.  Mix the chips into the cookie dough, just until mixed.  I usually stir them by hand at the end to make sure the dough at the bottom has as many chips as the top.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Chill at least 1 hour, up to overnight.  This allows the butter to re-harden and helps the cookies keep their shape.

Preheat the oven to 375.  I line my cookie sheets with parchment.  This helps the cookies to brown more evenly, but is not necessary in order for them to turn out right.  I normally use a medium-sized cookie scoop, but a table spoon works well, too.  Give the cookies some space. On a normal tray, I put about 12 cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, switching trays halfway through.  The cookies will be light brown and slightly puffy. Let cool on the tray, or a wire rack for 1 minute before removing from the trays.  Cool completely on the wire rack.

Enjoy!