Can you believe that we've reached the end of August? It seems like I was just complaining about June coming to an end. Time baffles me. Constantly. I mean, forget the fact that summer flew by like a favourite song (the one you were so excited to find playing, only to discover that it was already half-over). Oh, wait...that's it. That's summer. A song I'm endlessly humming in my head, but never quite tuned into.
I always look forward to summer, but I'm never ready for her arrival.
I spend so much of winter longing for everything warm, and green, and soft willowy-edged afternoons spent in the garden, and messy fruit-stained fingers. And when she (summer) finally arrives, I'm too excited. Everything happens so swiftly, I never feel properly dressed; "Can I put away the socks?" All that anticipation, yet all I can think about is "I can't believe you're really here!" So I remain dumbstruck until about mid-June, and by then I'm already saddened by the fact that I've only a month and a half left. (Because in my neurotic head, August is merely July's buffer.)
Thankfully, this August is not just functional, but also unique. It comes with a blue moon and one of my new favourite cookie recipes.
Nothing cheers me up like a batch of cookies. Who can possibly feel sad with a delicious mouthful of chewy chocolate and peanut butter-y happiness? Chocolate and peanut butter. Just the way the two words feel on your tongue when you say them out-loud. *Chocolate and peanut butter*...starts out thick and chunky, and then turns creamy and smooth. (Unless your fantasy involves chunky PB. Which is perfectly acceptable too.)
I was going to hold off on sharing these for a few more weeks, but they're just too good! (You're welcome.) ;)
These cookies are fudgy, chewy, rich, and just downright perfect. Had I figured out a way to incorporate lemon, I'd be in serious trouble with my jeans and fall clothes (which are already giving me snarky "so, how did that summer 6am running plan go?," looks.)
Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! Enjoy! xo
Double Chocolate, Double Peanut Butter Cookies
yields about 32-36 cookies
ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
3/4 teaspoon baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (you may reduce this amount to 1/4 teaspoon, if you prefer less saltiness)
1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (Please do not use reduced-fat)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup tightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
2 room temperature eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 oz dark chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate (I used Ghirardelli's 60% cacao choc. chips)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (feel free to use more!)
method
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the baking Soda and salt. Whisk everything together and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars together until well-combined and smooth. (About 3-5 minutes on med-high speed.) Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute per egg. Add the vanilla and for another minute or two.
Add the flour/cocoa mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
Using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate and peanut butter chips until they're evenly dispersed throughout the dough.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. [Note: I let mine chill overnight out of habit. And because I'm apparently, a masochist.]
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
For each cookie, measure out a rounded Tablespoon. Roll each one into a ball and place on prepared sheets. (Allow about 1-inch of space between cookies.)
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or till the edges are just set. [Note: My cookies were just right after 9 minutes. Initially, the cookies may look a bit raw in the middle but they will firm up once they have cooled.]
Remove the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for about 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.
Devour and be happy.
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
I feel the same way about summer - and winter...I do like that late summer / early autumn season, though. Not just because it's my birthday season, it's also the time I call melancholia - hehe. I like feeling a bit sad about the summer past - reminiscing all the good things that happened in the summer...So, it's a good kind of melancholy. Hehehe.
ReplyDeleteDouble doses of chocolate and PB is the perfect melancholic indulgence :) It makes me happy. Does that even make sense?
@Jen, That makes perfect sense. (It's my birthday season too, so perhaps Virgo's just like to wallow a bit longer than others.) :)
ReplyDeleteit is kinda sad, isn't it? the passing of summer... but look fwd, friend, because the arrival of autumn is close at hand. plus, these cookies make it a smidge easier to take.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at double chocolate and double peanut butter :).
ReplyDeleteI'm actually mad at my brother-in-law for getting married this weekend and leaving me no time for baking. That's how good these look. :)
ReplyDeleteoh gosh these look divine! it is strange for me here in southern california - there aren't distinct seasons, but because i grew up in pennsylvania i still feel the seasons, mourning and anticipating their arrivals and departures based on the dates on the calendar
ReplyDeleteSinful! Those cookies are just terribly tempting.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Here in Milan it's raining right now and seems it's no summer anymore...
ReplyDeleteYour cookies and your photos are really stunning!
Oh, yes, I will absolutely be making these cookies! These are right up my alley, and they look positively wonderful. Yum! Jotting down the recipe now... :) Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTime flies. Remember how long it took for 4 years of high school to end? I'm a little afraid of how fast it moves now, but I guess I like the seasons changing quickly before I can get sick of them. These cookies are totally decadent.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where summer went either! And no one wants to help figure it out! I have a feeling that no one really knows. It's best to change the subject and discuss something we can touch, like these beguiling chocolate cookies. Just robust enough to usher in the first days of fall, whispering that change is in the air!
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing! I'm going to have to bake these ASAP! Love the picture with the gooey chips inside, and love the new blog layout!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natasha! :-)
ReplyDeleteDouble chocolate AND double peanut butter? My girls will be all over these cookies.
ReplyDeleteThese look incredible...very indulgent considering the double doubleness and the fudgy texture :)
ReplyDeleteI spent all of August writing my 15,000 word dissertation, so I can't say time flew by at all. But yes, can't believe we're in the last quarter of 2012!
ReplyDeleteThese cookies look amazing. Peanut butter chips! I await the day I'll see them, they aren't sold yet in my country :(
Double chocolate + double peanut butter?? Be still my heart!!! Brilliant!!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the summer, we get it late here on the San Diego coast, and I don't want it to leave. I'm savoring every last minute, but it would be even better with these cookies!
These have all the ingredients to make a mean cookie. Great flavour combinations.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I can't wait to try these, they look stunning! Cookies always make me happy, and peanut butter and chocolate = extra happy!
ReplyDeleteWow, these cookies can make even the worst day a happy one! They've got everything I love - double chocolate AND double peanut butter! I'm featuring this post in today's Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution as always). Thank you so much for keeping me inspired with such delicious creations...
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, these were SOO GOOD!! I made a batch of these as a treat for the kids at Sunday school. Surprisingly, the kids seemed to double that day and I only had enough cookies to give each kid one cookie :/. After passing out the cookies, I walked outside and saw some of the kids literally licking the smudged chocolate and peanut butter from their ziplock bag. Everyone (including my family) LOVED it. Thanks for the recipe!! To say this one is definitely a keeper would be an understatement.
ReplyDelete@Anon It's always a good sign when kids/adults try to lick up every last melt-y bit of chocolate! Thanks for letting me know! :D
ReplyDeleteCan't believe I've never seen these on your site before - stunning! Double of two of my fave things: choc and PB. Winner, winner!
ReplyDeleteI just finished making these. I refrigerated them overnight and rolled them into small balls, but they did not flatten out at all. The next batch I pressed flat and they cooked just fine. They tasted wonderful, they just don't look much like the photo (the photo shows much darker and somewhat shiny cookies). I'm not sure what I didn't do correctly.
ReplyDeleteStill, they do taste amazing. I love peanut butter and I love chocolate. Thanks for the recipe! I love your blog.
@Adele: I took the photos as soon as the cookies came out of the oven - so they were still shiny (and happy!). They probably look dark because my kitchen is so dim - it's like baking in a cave. :D
ReplyDeleteMy cookies never look like the photos I see on other sites - even when I make the same recipe they sometimes look different. I think cookies are just fickle. :) I'm happy they still tasted great!
Do you know why they didn't flatten out on their own and just stayed in balls when I cooked them? I used a knife for my flour measurements to top off the cups, so I was pretty confident in that. My baking soda is a bit old and I used chunky peanut butter rather than smooth. I also have a baking stone in my oven where I put everything on. Would any of those reasons have been the problem?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response. Once I finish these, I'm going to do the oatmeal, chocolate chip, peanut butter cookies. I am really loving your blog. I have made the cream cheese chocolate chip cookies and those were fantastic. I have been sharing that recipe and others love them as well.
ReplyDeleteHi, Adele. So glad you (and your niece) are fans of the cream cheese chocolate chip cookies!
I'm not sure why the cookies didn't spread out...I don't think it's from the baking soda. Maybe the baking stone is too thick? I always use thin cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper. If you don't have a thin sheet and you'd like to try this recipe again, gently flatten the cookies just before baking. : )