Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These are not your ordinary peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips thrown in. This recipe has its own identity, with roasted peanuts and a chopped up chocolate bar for lots of crunch and flavor. When I'm in the mood for a peanut butter/chocolate combo, this is the recipe I choose. I don't know which I prefer, the dough or the finished cookie! :-)

If you don't have a chocolate bar laying around (What? You don't?) then by all means feel free to use chocolate chips. Milk or dark chocolate works just fine. If you like white chocolate, I'm sure that would be great too!

Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes ~ 24 cookies

2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or regular butter and omit 1/2 tsp salt)
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 bar (8 oz) milk or dark chocolate, chopped coarsely (or 1 cup chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350-F.

In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until blended. Add in both sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate until combined.

Scoop with cookie scooper onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Happy Baking!