A note from my sweet tooth

I have been thinking of turning this into a baking blog. Lately I have been enjoying baking. Well actually I always enjoy baking, recently I have just been documenting it. The last few weeks I have really been enjoying peanut butter and chocolate.  Chocolate peanut butter brownies were a hit. They didn't last long. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate, (2 ounces) coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped (I didn't measure, add what you want)
Peanut butter-I used creamy, about a 1/3 of a cup

Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake or pie pan. 

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add in the chocolate chunks. Whisk until blended.
In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, and extract with a fork until just blended. 
Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until just blended. The batter will be kind of dry, don’t worry. Add in the peanut butter cups and stir until combined. 

Scrape the mixture in to the pan and spread evenly. You might have to press the mixture in to the sides if you are having trouble spreading with a spatula. Swirl in the peanut butter with a toothpick or knife.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in to the center comes out with only a few gooey pieces clinging to it. Transfer the baking dish to a cooling rack and let cool. Cut into wedges. Add a mini peanut butter cup on top, if you wish!

I also tried three different recipes for chocolate peanut butter cookies. I figured I had too try them all at once or we wouldn't be able to pick a favorite. After a half day in the kitchen and several bites later, we all voted unanimously for.... 

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chunky peanut butter (I used Skippy)
3/4 cup, plus extra for sprinkling on cookies
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, we use our Kitchenaid, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, I use my Silpats…like always! Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisscross pattern, don’t flatten them too much! Just gently press them with the fork. Lightly sprinkle cookies with sugar. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
Cool the cookies on the sheets for about 3 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

The other recipes we also great. But we compared side by side or taste by taste. These won hands down.