Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I really enjoy baking.  I have been a gluten-full baker for quite awhile, and I've always specialized in cookies and cold pies.  Fruit pies (particularly apple) have always been an Achilles heel for me, but I still love to try.  Plenty of sweet things that are naturally gluten free like candy or fudge, but cookies, cakes, and pies often require gluten free flours.  The other gluten free cookies I've made don't require flour, and neither do these.  So if you're a little nervous about using gluten free flour blends, but you still want something that you and gluten-full friends can eat, this is a great recipe.

Peanut butter cookies are one of my favorites.  Sometimes, the classics are the best.  There's a place in the world for Guiness cupcakes with a Bailey's whipped cream frosting.  There is.  But sometimes, you just want a peanut butter cookie.  Simple and sweet.  The gluten-full recipe for peanut butter cookies is pretty simple, white sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, peanut butter, butter and egg.  This recipe is only slightly more simplified.  If you're taking baby steps into gluten-free baking, this is a great starting point.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla (optional, but I used it, and would recommend it)

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2.  Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon.

3.  Place hand-rolled tablespoon sized dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet, one inch apart

4.  Using a fork with tines dipped in sugar, press dough balls down in criss-cross pattern.

5.  Bake on center rack for approximately 10 minutes.

6.  Cool cookies on sheet before removing to rack.

Crispy edged, sweet/salty goodness that even gluten-full eaters will enjoy!  I will be working on a flour-blend version of these cookies that looks more like a traditional peanut butter cookie, so stay tuned.  I've found what I think is a fantastic flour blend, and I want to give it a try, but we've got to eat these lovelies first!