Munchin

Want some really good cookies? Try either of these recipes, the peanut butter ones even freeze really well. They are both beautiful and taste fabulous. Especially the chocolate ones, oh my. The peanut butter ones are very chewy and have a store bought texture if you like that.

Brownie Cookies

6 oz bittersweet chocolate

6 oz semisweet chocolate

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces (1 cup) milk chocolate

In the top of a double boiler set over very hot water, melt the bittersweet and semisweet chocolate and butter. Allow it to cool. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture ribbons off the beaters. Add the melted chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the milk chocolate chips. The dough will seem more like cake batter than cookie dough. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is well chilled (and more cookie-dough-like). Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment. Scoop up the chilled dough and roll with your hands into small balls the size of a whole walnut (in the shell). Place the cookies on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes or a bit longer. The tops of the cookies should look dry and cracked. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to cake racks for further cooling.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from Annie's Eats

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs

Sugar, for rolling the cookies Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

*The cookies will be cracked on top and not look done in the middle, but they are. You just have to let them cool on the pan a few extra minutes.