A Winner for Your Cookie Xmas Exchange

December 14, 2017

These cookies are just what you need on a wintery afternoon. I employ a baker’s trick of using margarine instead of butter; that’s the way you get chunky cookies instead of flat ones!

Jorj Morgan

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I’m not psychic. I’ve just lived through a whole lot of Christmases, so I’m sure there’s a cookie exchange party in your future. Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies are my go-to when I want to give the gift of baked goods, and there really is no greater gift, seeing as the gift of baked goods is, essentially, the gift of your time.

So far as cookie recipes go, my PBCs (what I call this recipe for short) is a classic. I use the basics: sugar, flour, margarine, eggs and add whatever nuts and chocolate I have on hand. The chunkiness of the cookie, I’ve found, is all due to using margarine in place of butter. Shh! Don’t tell the health nuts – unless you can find a way to add more actual nuts to this recipe, lol.

Oh, and be advised when you make these lovelies, that just about any candy or specialty chips work in a batch 🙂 You’ll find many, many versatile and FUN recipes in my new cookbook, which of course gets plugged even in a cookie post. BUY Sunday Best today and I sign TODAY, wink, wink!

Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies

MAKES 3 DOZEN COOKIES

2 ¼ cups whole-grain pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup margarine (2 sticks), room temperature

1 cup smooth peanut butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits

4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars until smooth. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Pour in the flour and stir. Mix in the oats, peanuts, chocolate chips and white chocolate.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or you can use Silpat liners). Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into about a 2-inch ball. Use your hand to gently flatten the cookies. Bake until they are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for several minutes. Transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.