Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

Reese's got it right - chocolate and peanut butter just go together.  Like peas and carrots.  Like Forrest Gump and Jenny (that's for you, Ruth Ann!).  Honestly, those two things are perfect for one other.  There really is nothing more that can be said about these cookies except that they are delicious!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
courtesy of Nestle Toll House All-Time Favorite Cookie and Baking Recipes


2 1/4 c. All Purpose Flour
2/3 c. Baking Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 c. Butter, softened (I use salted butter.  If you only have unsalted, add 1/4 tsp. salt)
3/4 c. Sugar
2/3 c. Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
Peanut Butter Chips (I'm going to let you use your own judgment here.  I think the original measurement of an entire package is way too much so I usually use 1/2 the bag but you can add as much or as little as you like!)

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a bowl.
Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla until creamy.
Add eggs to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat into flour mixture.
Stir in your peanut butter chips.
Measure out your cookies and place onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until centers are set (I usually go for 8 minutes but I like my cookies really soft!).
Let stand on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Nice picture, huh?  Yep, looks nice.  Want to see what happened just moments before?

Yep.  That's my husband's hand.  He couldn't wait for me to finish taking my picture before reaching for a warm cookie (okay, who can resist a warm cookie?).  Once he got his cookie, I was able to take my nice, lovely picture!

Post edited to add the following:

Join the Virtual Cookie Recipe Exchange with Flour On My Face  Prizes donated by King Arthur Flour, St Martins Press / Robin L. Olson and Garnish.

Pumpkin Dessert Squares

Ryan loves pumpkin.  I learned that very early on in our relationship.  I had never made a pumpkin pie before in my entire life until I met him.  I've made way too many to count since we have been together.  Me?  I've never really been a fan of pumpkin.  I do enjoy pumpkin cheesecake every once in a while.  I have fond memories of pumpkin cheesecake at the now closed restaurant Rick Stein's Steakhouse in Dallas, TX (that restaurant is where Ryan and I had our first Texas date :) ).  That cheesecake was unbelievable.  One day, I shall attempt to make a pumpkin cheesecake myself but for now, my husband is content with me creating numerous other pumpkin-y things.  We tried this at the Williams-Sonoma store a few weeks ago and I knew I had to make some as soon as I could!  They are that good.  And simple - oh so simple!  (We like simple around here.)  You'll need a jar of pumpkin butter (which is somewhat easy to find right about now) but could you substitute apple butter?  Hmmm... haven't tried that but I don't see why it wouldn't work!  If you make it before I do, leave a comment and let me know how it turns out!!

Pumpkin Dessert Squares
courtesy of Williams-Sonoma stores

1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 c. Butter, melted
3 Eggs
1 13.5 oz. jar Pumpkin Butter
1/8 c. Milk
1 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/4 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Butter, softened
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350.
Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Reserve 1 cup of the yellow cake mix.
Combine the remaining cake mix with the 1/2 c. melted butter and 1 egg (be sure to temper* your eggs if you're using immediately melted butter - no one wants scrambled eggs!).
Press into the bottom of your pan.
Mix the jar of pumpkin butter with the last two eggs and milk.
Pour over the cake mix!
Mix the reserved cake mix with the flour and remaining three ingredients.
Mix with a pastry blender or two knives (or your hands!!) until the butter is pea sized and everything sort of clumps together.
Sprinkle over the pumpkin mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Wanna see what the middle looks like?  All full of pumpkin butter-y goodness?