Sheltering-in brings out all personality types. There are those who are too fearful to venture beyond their front door and others who refuse to wear masks. I am not sure whether the woman I saw today on the street in a cut out box with eyes and arm holes in it was kidding or for real, but whatever makes one feel safe, I try not to be judgmental.
Being quarantined also brings out people’s culinary personalities. Many friends are discovering the joy of making bread, even though they’ve never made a cookie or a cake. Kneading the dough and watching it rise for hours is giving them comfort. The longer they can work on a recipe, the happier they are.
But not me. Sheltering-in hasn’t changed my cooking habits one bit. I still much prefer to make quick, easy recipes. In fact, I relish making the same recipe several times, each time to see whether I can cut out a step without sacrificing flavor.
That brings me to these sensational cookies. No mixer. No butter to bring to room temperature. Only 6 ingredients including the chips, which can be optional, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The peanut butter chips in particular add terrific texture, because unlike chocolate chips, they remain creamy.
I make the cookies often to bring to neighbors and to store in the freezer, so I can take them out whenever the craving strikes. And for these doubly delicious peanut butter cookies, that happens often.
CRUNCHY DOUBLE-CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (Gluten Free)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or grease them.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter, sugar and baking soda. Stir the eggs in one at a time until well blended. (You can use a mixer, but I find it is not necessary.) Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
4. Drop small rounded balls of dough from a meatball size scoop or a tablespoon onto 2 baking sheets. You should have 12 cookies per sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, shifting the baking sheets from front to back and bottom to top after 8 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and set.
6. Remove from sheets when cool.
Makes 24 cookies.
TIP: For ease in removing the peanut butter easily from the measuring cup, first spray the cup with nonstick coating.
