Chocolate chip cookies are made more delicious with the addition of creamy peanut butter and peanuts, which adds crunch and a soft texture to the cookies. Peanut chocolate chip cookies are made with all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, margarine, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pure vanilla, creamy peanut butter, shelled peanuts, and chocolate chips.
In this recipe, adapted from The Taste of Country edited by Jean Van Dyke, the dry ingredients (except the sugars) are mixed separately while the wet ingredients together with the sugars are mixed until smooth and creamy. The method of creaming ensures a soft and chewy cookie, as opposed to heavy and dense. Use an electric mixer to get a smooth and consistent texture. After the eggs and sugars are creamed, the flour mixture is folded into the wet ingredients to complete the batter. Add the flour mixture gradually, making sure that everything is combined and evenly distributed. The chocolate chips and peanuts are added last and mixed into the cookie batter just until they are evenly distributed.
The peanuts should be cooked and toasted before adding to the batter. You can pound the peanuts for a better texture or leave them whole or split in two. For the best results, make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature before putting them together. You can also use chunky peanut butter and omit the use of shelled peanuts. If you want a creamy cookie, use the creamy peanut butter.
Dark brown sugar makes the cookies chewier and gives it a nice color. It adds moisture to the cookie and keeps it from drying up and becoming tough. For a variation of this recipe, you can use raisins, white chocolate, butterscotch chips, or cranberries instead of chocolate chips or use a combination of the aforementioned ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the margarine, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and mix well. Little by little, add the flour mixture, stirring well. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.