Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

These chewy cookies are for all the chocolate and peanut butter lovers out there, with a double dose of peanut butter in the dough and the peanut butter chips.

Today is a repeat food holiday – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. It first occurred on May 15th and apparently has more than one day in the year. But I was skeptical of the food calendar which I follow and upon googling it seems as though the one on May 15th is actually just “chocolate chip day”. Guess today is the real chocolate chip day, but regardless of which date is the “official” holiday you don’t need an excuse to enjoy some chocolate chips by themselves or even in a cookie. Or in this case peanut butter chips encased by chocolate-peanut butter cookie dough. And yes this is yet another successful creation based on my favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies which means they too will rock the socks off of your taste buds, if in fact they wore socks.

One year ago: Single Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie

Three years ago: Eggplant Veggie Burgers

SALTED CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES

Makes approximately 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature

2 cups peanut butter chips

Coarse sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, peanut butter, and sugars until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients in three batches until just blended *. Using a spatula, fold in the peanut butter chips.
3. Rolls 2 tablespoons of dough into a slightly flattened ball and place on a plate or tray. Sprinkle with sea salt if using. Cover tightly and chill for at least 2 hours, overnight for best results (refrigerate for up to one week).
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper); set aside.
5. Place cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 7-8 minutes (will look underbaked). Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

* If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk.

Source: Adapted slightly from Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.