Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

Aaron and I are going over to a friends’ house tonight (as we did last Saturday) for dinner and a rousing game of Settlers of Catan—a board game. I know, we are dorks. I promise, it is really fun! We’ve played it with several of our friends in the past, in Chicago, Nashville and now, Los Angeles. Check it out—you won’t be disappointed. But it was my job to bring dessert. I turned to my trusted Dorie Greenspan book and found something to bring. I got a pic, but I’m never happy with how oatmeal based cookies look—but they taste amazing!!

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

From Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter–chunky (Dorie’s choice) or smooth (my choice because it’s what I had—-don’t use natural peanut butter)

1 cup sugar

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 ½ cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours, or for up to 1 day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about ½ inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula–they’ll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Makes about 60 cookies

Storing: Wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they’ll be good for 2 months.

Playing Around

: You can substitute soft, moist raisins for the chocolate chunks or just stir in some raisins along with them. If you’re really looking for crunch, toss in chopped peanuts too (salted or not). With or without the chocolate chunks, raisins and nuts, these cookies are great with ice cream or around ice cream.