Tag Archives: chocolate chip

The Nation Has An Appetite

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

18 Comments

I have just one problem with these cookies—I can’t stop eating them.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1/4 cup (2.375 oz.) natural peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (4 oz.) brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (1.75 oz.) granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups (5.625 oz.) all-purpose flour [OR 2.5 oz. white whole wheat and the remainder all-purpose]
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
generous 1/4 teaspoon salt [OR scant 1/2 teaspoon, depending on your preference]
1 generous cup mini pretzel twists
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Using a stand mixer (or sturdy electric hand mixer and a large bowl), cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, beating on medium speed for approximately 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.

Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt while mixer is off. Start beating on slowest speed and gradually increase to medium. Beat until just combined and no more flour is visible, about 1 minute.

Add pretzels and chocolate chips, beating on low speed until combined. (This step will crush the pretzels.)

Slap some plastic wrap over the mixing bowl (or transfer to a smaller container with a lid) and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

When your chosen interval of time has passed, preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Use a cookie scoop, spoon, or your hands to form dough into 1.5-inch mounds. Place about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

ready to bake

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets on top and bottom racks halfway through. When done, the tops of the cookies should be barely set. Not to worry—they’ll bake a bit more as they cool. The finished cookies will be fairly soft.

Let sit on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes (these are too fragile to transfer just out of the oven), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag for up to 1 week.

NOTES: If you’re using peanut butter with salt, I’d probably go with the lower amount of salt. I had only light brown sugar on hand, but I definitely want to try to these cookies with dark brown sugar—this one in particular. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, but it can be easily doubled. Recipe adapted from here.

The Nation Has An Appetite

Chocolate Chip Cookies

6 Comments

Celebrate your independence from store-bought cookies! (Um, maybe I’m trying too hard to get into the spirit of the day.) This recipe came from my paternal grandmother, and I’ve never seen another chocolate chip cookie recipe quite like it. The cookies have a wonderfully light texture. And I know this will sound odd, but I actually don’t like these right out of the oven. I prefer them once they’ve cooled and have lost a little bit of their crispness.

These are also excellent if you need to apologize to anyone in your life. For instance, if you gave someone else a pizza dough recipe that broke his brand-new food processor. Not that I’ve ever done anything like that.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter [or Earth Balance]
1 cup (7 oz.) granulated sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk [or soy/almond/whatever milk]
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups (18.5 oz.) all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
10-12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir briefly and set aside.

Using a stand mixer (or sturdy electric hand mixer and a large bowl), cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, beating on medium speed for approximately 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and milk and beat for 30 seconds. Turn mixer to low and gradually add oil and vanilla while beating. Continue beating for an additional 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add flour mixture—start blending on slowest speed and gradually increase to medium speed. Beat until just combined and no more flour is visible. Stir in chocolate chips.

Use a cookie scoop, spoon, or your hands to form dough into 1.5-inch mounds. Place about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. (These cookies do spread a fair amount while baking.)

Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating sheets on top and bottom racks halfway through. When done, cookies will still be pale in the middle but edges will be starting to brown.

Let sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes (these can be a little fragile just out of the oven), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag for up to 1 week. This recipe makes a fairly ridiculous quantity of cookies (maybe 5 dozen?), but the cookies also freeze beautifully.

*I generally replace half the flour with white whole wheat four. That makes the cookies into health food, right?