Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces Cookies

Happy Birthday to me!

I did not actually make these cookies for myself, but they are chocolate and peanut butter, so clearly I loved them. Dave is a big fan of cookies but I'm not huge on desserts. I'd rather get an appetizer or eat something salty. But the peanut butter and chocolate combination is too good to pass up. This recipe yielded a lot of cookies. I ended up with about 28 and was able to bring them to a cookout, a friend's birthday celebration, and keep some treats at home. These cookies are packed with flavor but they stay on the softer side as I prefer. The most amazing way to eat these is while they're still warm. This recipe comes from Averie Cooks.

And since it's my birthday, I'm now going to polish off the bag of remaining Reese's Pieces...

You will need:

*1 egg
*1 cup light brown sugar, packed
*3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (homemade won't work here)
*1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
*1 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 teaspoon baking soda
*pinch of salt
*1 cup Reese's Pieces
*1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

2.  Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and until just incorporated. (Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl) This should only take about 1 minute. Gently stir in the Reese's Pieces and chocolate chips.

3. Use a cookie dough scoop to form mounds of about 2 tablespoons. Place prepared dough mounds on a large plate and flatten slightly with your palm. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 5 days) before baking. Chilling the dough will keep it from flattening and spreading in the oven.


4. Preheat oven to 350F and remove dough from the fridge. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or coat with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating half way through baking. You want the cookies pale and glossy in the center with set edges. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack.

5. Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 4 months.