peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

this is a year of big birthdays. i kicked it off with the last birthday of my twenties. then my dad turned "double nickels" with my mom following a couple months later. and now it's jason's turn.

last year we spent his 29th birthday in boston, in the middle of a week long road trip through the adirondacks, vermont, new hampshire, gloucester mass, boston, the cape, and newport rhode island. it was a whirlwind. and because we were out of town, i promised him we would have a big party for him this year.

which brings us to last weekend's 30th birthday bonanza - a week before the actual day - since we're spending his birthday weekend in new york/new jersey for one of my favorite people's engagement party. when i asked him what kind of cake he wanted me to make for his birthday, he had one simple request: peanut butter cookies. good ones.

most peanut butter baked goods i have high hopes for and am usually disappointed, as they don't taste peanut buttery enough for me. not these cookies. these suckers are perfect. perfectly chewy. perfectly crunchy. and perfectly peanut buttery. make these cookies now. i don't care if it's your birthday or not. shouldn't we celebrate every day like it's our birthday??

peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
adapted from use real butter, who adapted them from martha stewart's cookies
1 hour, makes 3-4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk chocolate chips

1. preheat your oven to 350F. line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. cream the butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt. add the peanut butter and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
3. mix in about half of the flour, then the baking soda, and the remaining flour. stir in the chocolate chips.
4. drop by rounded tablespoons onto the parchment lined sheets, about two inches apart. bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden. the cookies will puff up a bit while baking, but flatten out while they cool. let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. store in an airtight container.

check out more sweet treats at sweet tooth friday!