Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Cookies

This whole unemployment thing is quite boring. Aside from applying to jobs, I have been filling my days with the gym, baking, watching movies, reading, cleaning, and even packed two boxes. Yet I still find myself itching for more to do to occupy my day. I know many people would kill to have some free time, but I so rarely have had it that I now don’t know what to do with it all! It’s too bad I don’t have dispensable income to go out of town to visit people.

During one spout of boredom, I decided to whip up some cookies. Specifically peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chopped up mini peanut butter cups mixed in. The entire batch of these cookies disappeared at a gathering to which I brought them and were quickly nicknamed “crack cookies” as people could not stop eating them. Sounds like my boredom paid off!

One year ago: California Quesadillas with Honey-Balsamic Dipping Sauce

Three years ago: Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

PEANUT BUTTER CUP OATMEAL COOKIES

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1-1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned whole oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg + 1 yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

12 oz. (2 cups) mini peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter in 30 second intervals until just melted. Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add both sugars and the cooled butter mixture. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookies sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
6. Roll or spoon out golf ball sized balls* onto prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until set and barely golden . Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

* I used a medium cookie scoop

Source: Adapted slightly from Averie Cooks.