Do you remember that old jingle, "Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't"? I never understood that ad; I always feel like a nut. By that, I mean, of course, that I always feel like eating nuts. If you interpreted it any other way, you wouldn't be the first. . .
If you want a trip down memory lane, watch the ad on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_AYqZddckc. The hair, the shorts, the low tech look are quite entertaining.
Anyway, given a choice, I will always choose the nuttier option. Ice cream, salads, cookies, brownies, banana bread, in my view, they are all enhanced by nuts. And I'm not too picky about the type. They all have their place. I have posted recipes here for almonds in cake and granola. I have shared recipes for pecans in pie, banana chocolate chip snack cakes, even snow. I have put pine nuts in pesto and stuffed grape leaves. So I'm not exaggerating. I love me some crunchy nuts.
Peanuts are no exception. Peanut butter has long been a staple for me. I know it is considered a favorite of the younger set, but its resurgence in my life coincided with parenthood. When I was first pregnant and many foods were unappealing, I could always tolerate peanut butter. I remember, too, in those early days after Olivia was born, when a successful day was one in which I both ate lunch and took a shower, peanut butter was there for me. Its convenience makes it hard to beat. Even now, one of my regular breakfasts on the go is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
And peanut butter cookies are among my favorites. When I had a hankering to make some peanut butter cookies the other day, I wanted them to be extra nutty. So I threw in a handful of peanuts. And some chocolate chunks because chocolate is always a good thing when it comes to cookies.
These cookies still retain the chewiness of a classic peanut butter cookie, but the peanuts and chocolate add more crunchiness to each bite. And, of course, the chocolate is addictive. Even Gabe, who usually isn't a fan of nuts in his cookies or the chocolate-peanut butter combination loved these.
Second Helping (from the Archives): Green Eggs, No Ham
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
I used dark chocolate chunks in these cookies instead of chips because I love the way they look and taste, but chips would certainly do.
Makes about 40 cookies
15 minutes preparation time
approximately 25 minutes baking time
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup crunchy (of course!) peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter with a mixer on medium high, until they are completely incorporated. Add the sugars and beat again. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and blend thoroughly. Mix in the peanuts and chocolate chunks.
Drop the dough by generous teaspoonfuls onto the sheet. Bake until the cookies are lightly golden, about 8 minutes. The cookies will keep their chewiness for several days stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Amen sister. I always feel like a nut!
Posted by: Tamara Rice | February 24, 2010 at 11:10 AM
i can vouch for these. i also typically don't like nuts in cookies, brownies, etc., but they somehow work in this recipe. they complement instead of overpower. thumbs up!
Posted by: chronicles of momnia | February 24, 2010 at 02:20 PM
Those look delicious! Love your blog; I'll be back!
Posted by: aplaceforthoughts | February 24, 2010 at 02:27 PM
Yum! What are your favorite dark chocolate chunks to use? I think I need to run out and get some so I can make these this weekend. THanks! :)
Posted by: Leticia | February 24, 2010 at 04:42 PM
Hilarious, Tamara! I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Thank you Chronicles and A Place!
Leticia, I used Whole Foods' 365 brand Dark Chocolate Mini Chunks (70%)for this batch and I thought they were quite tasty.
Posted by: Margy | February 25, 2010 at 08:43 AM
so what does it say about me that i definitely did not think first of eating a nut, and then i was like wow margy thinks she is always a nut like me, but then i finally figured it out. i think that is what an easier but still hard week of puppydom has done to me. l.
Posted by: laura | February 26, 2010 at 10:12 PM
Sounds like hyper lily-gilding to suggest adding to the combination of chocolate any peanut butter, but I have found bananas make a great addition to this combo. Slice the bananas into circles and cut into half moons. Once you've flattened the peanut dough balls on your cookie sheet, stick the bananas in half-cut side down. They stick up like suns on the horizon. Believe me, I was horrified at the thought of ruining my favorite cookies with bananas, but peanut butter and baked, carmelized bananas work. By the way, this idea didn't come from kindergarteners going crazy in the kitchen. I learned it from a San Francisco guormet cookie maker, Tom of Tom's cookies. He actually served this peanut butter and banana cookie at President Clinton's inauguration and named the cookie after him.
Posted by: mimi | February 27, 2010 at 02:54 PM
Laura, I guess that is what children, dogs and blogs can do to a person :)
Mimi, how interesting! Thank you for sharing this. I am definitely going to give it a try.
Posted by: Margy | March 02, 2010 at 09:45 PM