You probably know by now, but between Chris Ann and I, we have 9 kids ranging in age from 5-18. Lately I’ve been introducing you to Baker Boy. He’s my 15 year old son who is creative, loves to work with his hands and from age 2 had a special love for food and a keen sense of taste and smell. When he was 2, buckled into the back seat of my van, I’d try to pop a Hersey Kiss into my mouth for a little mama treat and I’d hear him say, “What’s that?! I smell choc-oc.” He goes to an Arts High School and studies Stage Design and Costuming. He aspires to be either a clothing designer, a bakery owner or an interior designer. This summer he landed a 15 year old dream job. He is the sole baker for a coffee shop here in Baltimore and he’s killing it! So, being that we definitely like to talk about food here at LoveFeast, we’ve asked him to guest blog on occasions. So, without further ado…here is my son, Nahum, AKA Baker Boy.
LoveFeast’s Own~Baker Boy
Do you remember the lovely smell of fresh, home-baked peanut butter cookies? Well, wipe your brain, or as one of my Acting teachers says, your sense memory, of that sweet nutty smell…your life is about to get a whole lot better! While cruising through the web for some amazing recipe that would blow my mom’s peanut butter cookie recipe out of the water, I came across one that I feel, blew hers way off of the Eastern Shore! While reading through this recipe, I realized that it could use a little tweaking. So, the tweaking began. Reading in between the recipe’s lines, skimming the recipe’s directions for every little detail that would make a difference if changed and slowly making changes, I perfected it. Although not the “World’s Best Cookie”, it was my best cookie. Quite quickly, as I began to watch the cookies go bye-bye’s, my mom told me that I was to write a post, sharing my cookie recipe with you all! Although I was secretly putting away my excitement, so my mom couldn’t gloat on the fact that she had a child prodigy, I shoved it down and began to write…
Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 cup (1 Stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup all natural chunky or creamy peanut butter ( i prefer chunky)
1/2 cup granulate sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup 70%+ chocolate smashed (I smashed this chocolate from a large chocolate bar with a wooden crab mallet. You want these to be chunky pieces!)
1/2 cup rolled oats
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper.
Put the butter, peanut butter and the sugars in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until well combined.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed until well blended. Add the chocolate chips, chocolate chunks and rolled oats and mix thoroughly.
Roll each cookie into a ball and place them on the cookie sheets. Do not flatten these cookies. I found that they come out more Beautiful when not flattened. Bake the cookies for about ten minutes. When done, they will be light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and Carefully remove the cookies from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack. Serve when warm. They are still great after a couple of days with a cup of coffee or small glass of milk! Yum!
Much Love,
Baker Boy,
Nahum Potler
