These are great cookies from Glorious Chocolate, by Mary Goodbody and the editors of Chocolatier magazine. I’m posting this today in honor of my sister’s birthday, though I made them a while back. They’re a real treat for her; she’s a peanut butter fiend who can’t bake with it at home because of a family allergy.
If you have the time and energy to grate the chocolate, it ensures chocolate will be spread throughout each cookie, which is tasty and looks pretty. I used chips this time to save time and effort. Of course, you could also just use MORE chocolate chips.
Chocolate-Flecked Peanut Butter Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, grated or in chip form (1 cup)
Granulated sugar for dipping fork
Position racks in top two-thirds of oven and preheat to 350.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at medium-high speed, cream the butter for about 1 minute or until creamy. While beating, gradually add the granulated sugar and then the brown sugar until blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla and continue beating the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is thick and light colored. Beat in peanut butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in dry ingredients just until smooth. Stir in grated chocolate or chips.
Put the granulated sugar (2 or 3 tbsp.) in a small, shallow dish. Using 1 1/2 tbsp. of dough for each cookie, roll dough between the palms of your hands into 1 1/4-inch balls. Put the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 2 to 3 inches between cookies.
Dip tines of a fork into the sugar and press the fork into the top of each cookie, then press again in the opposite direction to make a crisscross pattern. Dip fork into sugar for each cookie. The cookies will be about 2 inches in diameter. Bake for about 8 to 12 minutes or until just light brown around the edges. Using a spatula, transfer cookies paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes, then to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies.
I concur that these are a good recipe as I used to make them. They are actually a good, standard peanut butter cookier without the chocolate. Some of us are purists when it comes to peanut butter.