Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Well what can I say but these are some interesting times man! We’ve been quarantined or practicing “Social Distancing” for a week now and all it makes me want to do is bake…great for you guys, bad for my waistline. I find baking to be so therapeutic, and creating new recipes gets me all excited inside…especially when they involve chocolate and peanut butter! My Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has been a huge hit with you guys so I decided to make a Double Chocolate Peanut Butter version because Hey! we deserve this. They are soft, chewy, fudgy, salty and sweet and great for dunking in a glass of milk. Secret ingredient once again is Instant Jello Pudding Mix, oh yea baby!

Ingredients-

• 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

• 2 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar

• 1 Stick (1/2 Cup) of Unsalted Butter, Softened (but not melted)

• 1/3 Cup of Chocolate Fudge or Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix Powder (I prefer Jello Brand)

• 1 Large Egg

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 Teaspoon Fine Table Salt

• 1 Cup Cake Flour (Not Self Rising! I prefer Swan brand in the red box)

• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder (I used Hershey brand)

• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

• 1 Cup Peanut Butter Chips or Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (if you don’t want peanut butter) (you can even do half and half which is awesome!)

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (ideally on a convection setting). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using an electric hand beater, blend together the Dark Brown Sugar, White Sugar and Butter until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. While thats beating stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl- Cake Flour, Cocoa Powder Salt and Baking Soda. Set aside.

4. Add the Pudding Mix (in powder form), 1 egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated evenly and blend again on high for another 3 minutes.

5. Gradually beat in the flour mixture on low speed until everything is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure it is evenly incorporated.

6. Mix in the Peanut Butter Chips or chocolate chips either on low speed with your paddle attachment or you can mix by hand with a wooden spoon. Just mix until combined, do not overmix.

7. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop about 1.5 Tablespoon size balls of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure there is at least 1 inch in between each cookie in case they spread slightly. You want the dough to be in a fairly round, high mound before baking to ensure it gets a nice chewy consistency after baking.

8. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 8 minutes or until the outside appears dry to the touch but the cookies are still Fudgy and soft on the inside.

9. Let them cool slightly on the pan before serving. They can be enjoyed warm or cold, they will be soft and chewy regardless!

   Enjoy!