Happy Weekend!
Wrapping up college has been a crazy, continuous whirlwind, to say the least, but I've been able to get some baking in!!
Up first, I made Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips & Reese's Pieces! To this day, these are my brother & sister's favorite cookie! (Sorry Emily & Mark-- next time I see you I'll make more!)
If you are a chocolate and peanut butter lover, like I am, these are the cookie for you! A soft, chocolaty cookie with bursts of peanut butter...Heaven.
I brought most of these into work with me! A very-welcomed & appreciated Tuesday Treat!
Before making these, I made my good ol' Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! In addition to these two big guys (8'' x 4''), the batch made 2 little loaves too (5'' x 3'') ! (NOTE I made a double batch of the recipe linked to this post! A single batch, as posted, would make a very-mounded 8'' x 4'', or the 8'' x 4'' + a little one!) Made with 100% Whole Wheat flour and no butter or oil, you can even feel good about eating a slice (or two..or three...)! ;)
Much more baking to come after finals are over and as graduation nears!
Cookie recipe below!
Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips & Reese's Pieces
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (I used Hershey's this time)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
(if you use salted butter, just leave out the added salt)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 11oz bag peanut butter chips
1-2 cups Reese's Pieces
(I usually use 2 cups, but I got a little carried away "taste testing" them before making the cookies...:))
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, use electric mixer to beat softened butter, granulated sugar,brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add in the 2 eggs and beat well (scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to).
Then, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat at a low speed, or just fold in by hand. When almost all of the flour streaks are gone, mix in the peanut butter chips and Reese's Pieces with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing until everything is combined.
Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet (~1-2 inches apart, depending on the size of the cookies). I usually line my cookie sheets with parchment paper for easy clean up / to prevent sticking. Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until they look firm and not-shiny. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
Enjoy warm or fully cooled!
Warm & crumbled over some vanilla fro yo or ice cream is my eating-method-of-choice!
Have a great weekend!
