Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I’ve been finding myself baking a lot of oatmeal cookies lately. They certainly aren’t the most summery of desserts.  But, I have been in the mood to bake oatmeal cookies, so I have just gone with it.

I bake for a lot of reasons… Sometimes I want to surprise a friend or family member with something special, for no reason at all.  Other times I am baking for an occasion, like a birthday or holiday.  But, as my husband pointed out to me last week, there are many times where spending time in the kitchen baking is my way of escaping and coping with what’s going on around me. I am a control freak, and baking is (generally) something I can control.  I can precisely measure out ingredients and combine them in just the right order to create a cake, a pie, or (in this case) a batch of oatmeal cookies.

So, while I would love to tell you that I had some sort of divine inspiration while creating this particular recipe for oatmeal cookies, that simply isn’t how it happened.  The truth is that they were an escape… About two weeks ago, I had Yellowdog outside in the back yard with me while I picked some of my overly-abundant zucchini crop.  As I looked away for a few moments, she caught sight of my hubby coming home from his morning run.  She took off running to greet him.  I didn’t even really think about it… I could see where she was headed and knew that she wouldn’t go far. Unfortunately, in the process, she completely tore a ligament in her knee and came back limping on three legs. It only took a glance between the two of us to know that we were headed for another knee surgery. It’s been almost two years since her last knee surgery, but we both remember it clearly, and we knew the signs instantly.  A trip to the vet quickly confirmed our suspicions.

Fortunately, we were able to get her surgery taken care of last week, and she’s doing really well.  She’s got an 8 week recovery (possibly even more like 12 weeks) ahead of her… And, you may remember that the new addition to our family is also due in about 8 weeks.  To tell you that I haven’t been a bit stressed would be a lie. And, honestly, I don’t think the stress is going to be ending any time soon.

So, today I am leaving you with oatmeal cookies.  I cannot tell you that they were inspired. As my husband, who often understands my crazy behavior far better than I do, can tell you, they were my escape from a week of worrying, stress, and a sleepless nights with a doggy who doesn’t like to sleep in her cone collar.  Fortunately, the other thing my hubby can tell you is that the cookies turned out quite well – chewy and hearty with just the right amount of peanut butter and chocolate. Oatmeal cookies, as it turns out, are something I can control.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen large cookies
(Adapted from The New Best Recipe)

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add in the peanut butter and beat for an additional minute until it is well incorporated.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds to 1 minute after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract and beat for an additional 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, and mix on the lowest setting until just mixed.  Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips by hand.

Use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to drop (rather large) cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between the cookies.

Bake the cookies for about 20 – 22 minutes, until they are just set and the tops are golden.  Be careful not to over bake. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Please Note – The link to The New Best Recipe provided in this post is an Amazon affiliate link.  If you purchase this cookbook (or another item) after  clicking on my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale price, which helps to keep My Kitchen Addiction up and running. Thanks!