Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Today is a holiday and the weather isn't too great. Perfect scenario for conjuring something up in the kitchen. As usual, I also wanted to recycle some "raw material" - in this case peanut butter. I'd bought a jar at the British foodstore here in Vienna, simply because it felt very "exotic" and American. Although peanuts are among my least favourite nuts, I quite like the taste of (smooth) peanut butter and every once in a while buy it even though I always end up using it for cooking or baking as I don't like it as bread-spread.

The recipe is adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook's "Peanut Butter Cookies" and is very easy. As usual, I have converted the American measures apart from cups.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
120 g butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180° . Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter and peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, like so:

Lightly sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies will still be very soft and appear underdone, but they are perfect like that. Let cool on the baking sheets for a minute or so and then move to a rack to let cool completely.