Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I don't make many cookies... because I eat them and I don't need cookies, believe me.  That was a job that my girls could do from the time they were 8 years old or so and if they wanted cookies they baked them.  Now I have to bake them when I need them and I needed a treat to take to our quilting group.

I love Ina Garten's cookie recipes and this one is my favorite.  I love the chunks of chocolate but you could just add chips.  I used premium dark but milk chocolate is pretty darn good too.
These are soft and slightly sweet.  Use the best quality peanut butter you can, but don't use freshly ground butter or your cookies will spread flat.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ina Garten

½ Lb. unsalted butter at room temperature

1 ½ C. light brown sugar, packed

¾ C. granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs at room temperature

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 C. good smooth peanut butter

2 ½ C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 Lb. good semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or chips)

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butter, and mix. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the batter, mixing only until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using either a 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands, flatten the dough lightly, and then press the times of a wet fork in both directions. Bake for exactly 17 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Do not over bake. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.