Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

A few months ago I got a craving for peanut butter cookies. I had not had any in a while, and I craved a cookie that would yield a crunch of peanut butter in every bite. Doesn't that sound yummy!

Once a craving knocks on my door, it tends to make itself at home until my taste buds are sufficiently satisfied. I browsed through lots of recipes, and tried one that I thought might fit the bill... but the end result was not that exciting. I mean, they were great for a sweet fix throughout the week, but my peanut butter craving still lingered. So, I continued to keep my eyes peeled in case something popped up that might help me shake this hunger. A month or so later, I stumbled upon these cookies from Brown Eyed Baker and knew that I had to try them. Raise your spatulas -- the results were delicious and my taste buds were happy!

I highly recommend this recipe to all you peanut butter lovers out there; whether you have a craving or not, you won't be disappointed. These cookies are full of crunchy goodness! Such a treat. :)

*Note: I baked mine for a minute or two longer than the original recipe indicated because they seemed like they still needed to bake. You may want to pull them out earlier than what's noted below if you're trying to retain a softer center.

Ingredients
Yields about 40 cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, separated
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
3/4 cup peanut butter chips 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add light brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition; scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce speed of mixer to low and gradually add your dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in peanuts and peanut butter chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll balls of dough in sugar to coat and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, press down on each ball to flatten rounds; press down twice in opposite directions to make a crisscross indention.

Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 11-13 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit on baking sheets for a couple of minutes, then transfer cookies to wire cooling racks. Store in air tight container.

Source: slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker