Bribery via Cookies

I'm not above bribing you with cookies.  It's far too easy.  Eat your veggies, and I'll continue to bake for you.  Snub them, and I'll start crying, whining, and throwing Lindsay Lohan-esque temper tantrums all freaking over the place.  Once the entertainment factor wears off you'd be quite annoyed by the ordeal.  So put on your big kid pants and eat. your. veggies.

I'll even help!  Simply walk through the produce section of your grocery store or farmers market, take off running into the nearest colorful display, and try whatever vegetables lies within it.  Or you can close your eyes, point your finger, and spin around until you land on something green.  Or you can simply try something new since the above suggestions are merely for my amusement. [and anyone fortunate enough to witness it!]

I've teased you incessantly with these, so today I'm here to make good on my promise.  They're good.  REALLY good!  My workout partner-in-crime saw them on instagram, got in her car, and drove clear across town for them. Oh yes.  That really happened... and I love her for it!

Paul doesn't.  But that's because I gave her his cookies =)

PB&C Cookies

[makes approx. 15 glorious peanut butter chocolate chip cookies]

what's in 'em?

1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Ghirardelli mini chocolate chips [I'll look the other way if you add more]

1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter [no need to soften!]

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 cup of brown sugar, lightly packed

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
inspired by How Sweet It Is

get baking!

Instead of waiting impatiently for our butter to soften, we're making browned butter!  I've been baking with it a lot this month and adore the smell [like brown sugar!] and caramel-esque taste that it gives to cookies.  To brown your butter, heat a stainless pot/pan/skillet to medium heat.  Next remove a 1/2 cup stick of unsalted butter from your fridge and slice.  Slicing is optional, but will help the butter melt faster and more evenly.  Add the butter to your heated pan and whisk frequently and repeatedly.  A few minutes later, once the butter fully melts, it will start to froth and bubble at the top.  Keep whisking until you smell a brown-sugary nuttiness  and notice tiny brown flecks at the bottom of your pan.  Whisking those little specks will give the butter a golden-brown hue and signal when it's time to remove the butter from heat.  Set aside to cool.  Once it's completely cooled to room temperature it'll be ready to bake with!

Mix your flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.  In a larger bowl, whisk together your sugars, browned butter, egg, and vanilla extract.  Once incorporated stir in the peanut butter to the brown butter mixture.  Slowly add the flour into your wet mixture while your stir with a fork.  Fold in your chocolate chips and pop the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so to set the dough.  Pre-heat your oven to 375F.

This is where you have to actually behave, i.e not eat the entire bowl of cookie dough.  

Maybe you don't really want 15 cookies anyway.... Maybe you only want 5 cookies and a bowl of peanut butter cookie dough to stuff in your face.  Far be it for me to judge =)

Yank the chilled dough, roll into 1-inch balls, crack a few inappropriate jokes about said balls, and plop them on an un-greased non-stick baking sheet.  Bake for 10-14 minutes depending on whether you like your cookies crispy or dough-y in the center!  Mine go in for 13 minutes and are yanked when they turn golden.

Allow to cool, then cookie it up!

so... how were they!?

The best of both worlds!  They had the creaminess and salty-sweet peanutbuttery undertones you'd expect from a pb cookie with the rich, chocolate-y sweetness of their chocolate chip counterpart.  Most cookies have double the butter and sugar of these bad boys, but I'm glad I skipped the excess!  Between the high-quality chocolate chips, the aromatic browned butter and the amazing flavor of the peanut butter, you won't miss the extra fat and sugar.  Instead you'll get real cookies, with real flavor, and less naughtiness.  And, as if you doubted it, they are so fluffy I might actually die.

But come on now!  Cookies are still supposed to be a little bit scandalous =) Enjoy!

For you!

Let's play a game --

 Tell me what veggie you enjoyed to the fullest today, as well as your favorite treat.