Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I swear sometimes my best recipes are found in the most random of places. I found this recipe at the grocery store attached to a coupon for parchment paper, which I grabbed not knowing there was a recipe attached.  As luck would have it, as I was tearing off the coupon, I saw those 5 magic words...Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  Um...yes please! 

Let me tell you about these cookies.  There is peanut butter.  There are chopped peanuts.  There are chocolate chunks.  There are oats.  Intrigued?  Me too!  To ease the guilt-factor and be a little more figure-friendly, I used light butter and skim milk in lieu of the full-fat counterparts.  The result is a cookie that is soft, almost cakey, filled with chunky goodness and a delicious flavor combination in every bite.    

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Yields 36 cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup natural peanut butter (I used chunky)
1/2 cup butter, softened (I used light butter)
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk (I used skim)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 bag (11.5 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup chopped peanuts

1. Combined flour and baking soda.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, on medium speed, beat peanut butter, butter and brown sugar until well blended.  Beat in milk, vanilla and egg just until blended. 
3. Add flour mixture gradually to creamed mixture, mixing by hand, or on low speed, until blended. 
4. Stir in chocolate chunks, oats and peanuts.
5. Chill dough for 30 minutes to overnight. 
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Line 2  cookie sheets with parchment paper (or silpat).
7. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls on cookie sheet and flatten slightly with back of spoon. 
8. Bake 9-11 minutes or until cookie edges are set and edges turn brown.  Move cookies to wire rack to cool. 

Adapted from Reynolds