Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Take 2)

  If you follow my blog, you already know that I am a little obsessed with cookies. I eat them all the time. I constantly have a "freezer stash" of multiple flavors of pre-portioned homemade cookie dough ready to bake when a craving hits. And I am always tinkering with recipes to find that "perfect" chewy cookie. I haven't been able to create the ultimate chewy peanut butter cookie yet, but this one comes pretty close. I have tried and failed in the past. Creating really good cookies, but nothing truly spectacular in the "chewy" department. ( see Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies)
  I didn't take step by step pictures because I wasn't sure if this was going to be an epic fail or not. I needed to make some peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough for my hubby's co-worker. (Because the hubby baked and ate all of the cookie dough that his co-worker had in the freezer at work.) But I wanted to try something new. I created the recipe as I went along, and it was at the end of a long session of  taking multiple pictures for my Prefect Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce (coming soon). So, I just made the cookies and rolled the dice. I baked up a batch for ourselves and froze the rest (for the co-worker). When they came out of the oven they looked appetizing, but the true test was in the taste. Were they crisp on the outside? Yes. Were they soft and chewy on the inside? Yes. Was the chocolate warm and melty? Of course! Yes. They hit all the right notes. I knew I had to share. I took a few "final product" shots and decided to post the recipe for all of you. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family and I do.

These beauties really are chewy and lovely, and are calling my name right now. :)
The next recipe I try I will add some oats and see if I like that better. Sometimes oats can make a cookie more chewy (see Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Walnuts).

 For now, this is my new "go-to" peanut butter cookie recipe. If you are with me on the quest to find chewy cookies, try this one out and let me know what you think. I don't think you'll be disappointed. :)

Here's the recipe:

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (to taste) salt (use 1 1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter)

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, melted

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

 *I actually used 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips and 3/4 cup peanut butter chips, because I like chocolate more. ;) 1 cup of each is more diplomatic. You use the ratio you like.

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine butter, peanut butter, salt and sugars. Mix until smooth and lighter in color. Add the baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs. Mix to combine thoroughly. Add the flour slowly and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate and peanut butter chips. Scoop the batter into approximately 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake @ 350F for 8 minutes or until they are brown on the bottom and slightly browned around the edges. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.