Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have found it. The peanut butter cookie.

Not surprisingly, it comes from America's Test Kitchen. I swear, there isn't a dud recipe comes out of that organization...probably because they test the recipes to extreme perfection.

This is the peanut butter cookie which is chewy and peanut buttery, not crumbly or dry or cakey or bland. The one which will hold its own sans add-ins or graciously welcome chocolate (or other kinds of) chips, coconut flakes, dried fruit, chopped nuts, oreo crumbles, seeds, etc.

I am so excited about this recipe. Cannot wait to make it again and add something new. They're so unctuous and hearty and unapologetically good. My brother kept going back for more when he was home!

Oh, and also? Happy New Year! It's been a great year meeting new people, figuring out how to bake at school, and learning what's fun to eat in the dining hall. It's my 50th post on this blog, too! So much new knowledge and wisdom this year, and yet I know it's only a fraction of what's to come.

Bring it, 2013. I'm ready.

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: about 4 dozen cookies


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (~11 oz) creamy peanut butter  (processed is best, and you could instead do 1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter if you want peanut chunks in there!)
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz) packed light brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup (5 7/8 oz) light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup (1 1/4 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 big handfulls (2 cups?) chocolate chips

Method:

1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk peanut butter, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, granulated sugar, egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Divide dough in half, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough by the heaping tablespoon and shape as with chocolate chip cookies, breaking in half and smooshing together to make a craggy surface.
3. Bake cookies until puffed and edges are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight container for 3 days, if they last.

Note: dough can be frozen in balls and baked straight from the freezer whenever you want fresh cookies! Just add a minute or two to the baking time. 

Recipe from Cook's Country.