Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

I got my new cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan on Friday and was really excited to try a recipe from it.

I let Phil thumb through it and pick a recipe that he'd like me to make. He picked probably the best recipe for himself, the Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters, a combination of his two favorite cookies.

I halved the recipe, because 60 cookies is really too many for just the two of us. What I really like about the cookbook is that there are often suggestions on how to tweak the recipe for different variations. I followed the recipe exactly but followed the advice of adding peanuts. The book also says that you can add raisins instead of chocolate or in addition to it.

Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chunks

Preparation
Adjust the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats. In a large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.

With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat for one minute after each. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients slowly, beating only until blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. (At this point, the dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)

If the dough is at room temperature, drop rounded tablespoonful two inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. If the dough has been refrigerated, scoop it out by rounded teaspoonfuls and roll the balls between your palms. Place them 2″ apart on the sheets. Press the balls gently with the heal of your hand until they are about 1/2″ thick. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the cookies are golden and just firm around the edges.

Lift the cookies onto wire racks with a wide metal spatula - they will firm as they cool. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Makes about 60 cookies.

Recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.