Friday, May 2, 2008

Chunky Peanut, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Cookies


Mmmmmm… more cookies. I LOVE cookies, can you tell?

I recently made the “chunky peanut, chocolate, and cinnamon cookies” from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, The New Classics. They’re like the humble chocolate chip cookies’ flashy, exotic cousin. Think Ginger versus Mary Ann.

Peanuts and chocolate have always been a winning combination in my book, but I wasn’t sure about the cinnamon. Turns out, the cinnamon is subtle, a background note that you can’t quite put your finger on. They’re quite yummy. Worth trying if you’re in the mood for something a little different.

They bake up beautifully... no disappointingly flat cookies in sight.


Oh, I almost forgot, I wanted to share one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. My Pampered Chef medium scoop (and no, I don't sell PC, I just indulge in a few pieces here and there.) It makes cookie forming a snap, especially for perfectionists who fret over misshapen and odd-sized cookie balls (not that I'm one... coughcoughsputter). One caution; don't use it with ice cream or real stiff dough. The tooth and cog mechanism tends to slip if your dough is too stiff.


Enjoy!

Here is the recipe from Martha’s site:

Chunky Peanut, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Cookies
Ingredients

Makes about 5 dozen .
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Put butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add sugars; mix 2 minutes. Mix in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips, peanuts, and vanilla with a mixing spoon until well distributed. Refrigerate dough until it is slightly firm, 15 minutes. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Space balls 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly. Bake until just golden, about 13 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Serve with ice cream.

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