Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A friend invited us over to his apartment to celebrate his birthday last week. I had been craving cookies all week, so this was the perfect excuse to make them. After all, who wants to show up somewhere empty handed? (As always, changes in italics.)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, Bridal Edition

Ingredients

1/2 cup super chunk, all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup butter smart balance, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour- I divided this amount in half, and used whole wheat flour for the other half
1 cup chocolate chunks

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat peanut butter and butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Add chocolate chunks. Cover and refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.(I didn't refrigerate mine and they came out fine.)

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough in 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies by making crisscross marks with fork tines, dipping fork in sugar between flattening each cookie. Bake about 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks. Cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Review
These cookies were delicious. I really love peanut butter. So much, that I think I could probably eat it every day. The recipe says it yields about 36 cookies, which is more than we could eat. The BHG cookbook suggested spooning the dough out as if to make cookies, then putting it in the freezer for about a half hour. Once the dough is firm, remove them from the cookie sheet and store in a plastic bag. Now we'll be able to have a single serving of fresh baked cookies the next time we're in the mood! I hope this works out.