Tasty Tuesday: Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese's Pieces

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day! Did you know there was such a day??? Oh, the wonderful things you learn while homeschooling!  It worked out well that it fell on a Tuesday this year. Of course, that meant that we had to make something using peanut butter. (Trust me, there were no complaints here!) I looked through the archives and to see which pb recipes we've already made. There's mock Girl Scout peanut butter patties (which would be very close to the originals with a little modification), a divine peanut butter cream pie (which is so creamy and peanut buttery, and so delicious), peanut butter bars (which is our all-time favorite dessert), and even something for our outdoor friends.

What I did not find was peanut butter cookies. Sure, we have no bake cookies, that have pb in them, but no traditional peanut butter cookies, where the peanut butter itself is the star.

Don't worry, we remedied the situation.

Start with 2 kinds of sugar, 2 kinds of peanut butter, and butter (you could use 2 kinds if you really want to.)

 Beat it up. It's so much fun, you know.

Add in some eggs. This is still Jake's favorite part. Unfortunately for him, he has to share the experience with his sister. Alyssa has gotten pretty good at cracking eggs, too.

Beat it up again.

Stop to take a taste . . . or two.

Then attempt to stop the kids from eating the whole bowl full.

We had the inconvenience, I mean, joy of having Zac help us this time. He decided that he needed only a 20-minute nap. Making cookies sounded like much more fun than sleeping. 

I was reminded of 2 things:

1) Toddlers are messy. We ended up with a floury mess on the counter, on the floor, all over Alyssa. Some flour did accidentally make it into the bowl.

2) My kitchen is small. Between 3 children and all the ingredients and utensils, there was no room left to maneuver. Every year I ask Leighton for a bigger kitchen for Christmas. I have yet to find one wrapped up under our tree.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.

Thankfully, it was not Zac's turn to add the next ingredient. I shudder at the thought of the entire bowl being spilled everywhere.

Then comes the very best part - adding the Reese's Pieces. Just try and add them without sneaking a few tastes. I dare you.  

I admit, I shooed the kids out of the kitchen while I rolled the balls. I knew exactly what would happen if I let my 3 little angels handle the dough - more would end up in their mouths than on the cookie sheets. Zac was upset enough when I put the dough in the fridge. "Hey! Where'd tookies go?" He was ready to make a meal of the unbaked dough.

Use the tines of a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie. Unlike other cookies, peanut butter ones tend to hold their shape pretty well. In order to not have little ball cookies, you'll need to press down just a bit. 

And this is how they'll look when they're done. They look pretty good, don't they? Let me tell you, they taste even better! The edges are a little crispy with a soft, chewy center. Exactly how I like my cookies. (If you want soft edges, bake a little less.) The combination of the crunchy and creamy peanut butter is perfect since it makes a nice balance, and the nuts are not over-powering. And of course, the addition of the Reese's Pieces is a must! That extra burst of peanut butter really makes these cookies stand out. Eat them with a glass of milk, and you'll be set. You might even want to hide the rest because they'll get eaten pretty quickly!

Don't wait until next National Peanut Butter Day to try these. Make them today! 

Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese's Pieces

Ingredients:

1 c butter                                                                             2 3/4 c all-purpose flour

2 c peanut butter (I used 1 c crunchy, 1 c creamy)             1 tsp baking powder

3/4 c white sugar                                                                1/2 tsp salt

1 c packed brown sugar                                                      1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp vanilla                                                                        1 c Reese's Pieces

2 eggs

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Stir in Reese's Pieces. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and put on cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely. Cookies will stiffen as they cool.

Linked to Watcha Making Wednesdays.