peanut butter + cinnamon chocolate chunk cookies

"Here is the scarf
we left years ago like a bookmark,

meaning to return the next day,
having just turned our heads
toward a noise in the bushes,
toward the dinnerbell in the distance,

toward what we knew and did not know
we knew, in the spreading twilight
that returns changed to a changed place." ~ Wyatt Townley, from "Finding the Scarf"

So 2012, you literally came and went like warm summer breeze.

The rapid passing of time is frightening; thinking about this phenomenon for too long is taboo. It's a slow-building storm in the back of my wishfully-wistful brain. At its eye is a mature knowledge that I'm not ready to face...a year cannot possibly go faster than its predecessor, right?

Thankfully, cookies exist.

As soon as I bite into a cookie, just about everything feels better. The over-analyzing gets put on hold, the unwashed dishes remain in the sink (at least for the next three minutes), and I feel like a child again. Happy, oblivious of time & ok with being perfectly imperfect. 

This recipe is the perfect mix of peanut butter and chocolate - the ultimate dynamic duo. The cookies are chewy, gooey (if enjoyed warm!) and enticingly sexy. I kind of love that I love cookies so much. ♥

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
yields about 24 cookies

ingredients
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (please do not use low-fat)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 Tablespoon honey
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon sour cream (or buttermilk)
12 oz chopped dark chocolate (milk is okay too, I suppose.)

method
In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; Set aside.

In a stand mixer bowl, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy- about 3-5 minutes on medium speed. Add both sugars and beat until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, honey, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. (Try not to over-mix.) Switch over to a large rubber spatula and stir in the chocolate chunks. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Measure out about a rounded Tablespoonful of dough for each cookie. Roll the dough a ball and place on the prepared sheets- allowing about 1 1/2-inches of space between each cookie. {Note: You can make a criss-cross pattern using a floured fork but my cookies lost most of the pattern whilst they were baking.}

Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to set. {Note: Don't over-bake the cookies. They might look slightly raw in the middle but will set nicely once cool.} Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to rest on the sheets until they're firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!

adapted from PinFoodly