BEST peanut butter cookies EVER. ever.ever.ever.

A few months back I called my friend Katherine on a Sunday evening, asking her what I should make for dessert that night. (This sounds weird, but Katherine is a fellow foodie-but waaaaaaaay more awesome than me, and we talk about food a lot. I love her.) She told me to make peanut butter cookies with both chocolate and peanut butter chips in them. I was like..."uh yes please." The bad news was I didn't have the chips. So she told me to get over there and get some. So I did! Anyway, I don't know what happened, but I didn't get to make them until the next day...and oh. my. heavens. I am so glad I made the phone call the night before to Katherine about what to make for dessert. These are hands down the BEST COOKIE I HAVE EVER EVER EVER HAD in my life. (And I have eaten my fair share of cookies...) I was completely addicted instantly and could not help myself. The dough was the best dough and I ate myself sick over these cookies, and I didn't mind i t...which was a shame, since I had just given birth to baby number 4 and was battling the bulge...but it was worth it. Don't just take my word for it. In honor of National Peanut butter day, TRY THESE BABIES OUT. And not just today-try them out many, many times.

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, soft
1 cup peanut butter, room temp. (creamy is best)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
(DO NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT ADDING ALL THE BUTTERS AND SUGARS-DO IT!)
1 Lg egg at room temp
1 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips-I only LOVE these cookies with Reeses Peanut Butter Chips...I tried a different kind this time and didn't LOVE it. It made a huge difference for me.
1/2 cup chocolate chips
If you like to roll or sprinkle your pb cookies in sugar, then you will need an extra amount of sugar for that.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl or mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter together until it is fluffy. Add the sugars and mix until creamy and smooth. Add the egg and then mix well until it gets that yummy looking texture. (I usually can't resist tasting some at this point-this texture really gets me.) Add the milk and vanilla and mix well to combine. I add all the dry ingredients directly into my mixing bowl, rather than having it already measured out in another bowl just to save me from having one more bowl to clean. So add the dry ingredients right into the mixing bowl, or have it already measured out in another bowl. Either way, dry ingredients go in now! After this...stir those chips in and feel your stomach tighten in anticipation of the first spoonful of this delicious dough finding its way into your mouth. Then the second and third spoonfuls as well, if you are like me...



Using a cookie scoop or your bare hands, drop delicious looking blobs of the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. (If you like the dough rolled in sugar, do that before dropping dough onto the sheet.)

Leave several inches around each cookie for expansion. I don't like to smoosh these cookies down with a fork like traditional pb cookies, because I love these ones without that feature. Do what you like-I recommend not using the fork at least one-the result is a chunky looking cookie, and I love that.
Bake these lovelies for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. They may look underdone, but they are not. Cool the cookies for as long as you can bear, then enjoy them. By the handful. If you want. If you can stop at one, I commend and both pity you....
Happy National Peanut Butter Day!