crazy for cookies

Okay, lets be honest- who isn't?! Cookies are a magical invention of deliciousness, all wrapped up in a neat little hand held package. You can eat them on the go or on the couch, you can even eat them with ice cream in the middle (just wait till summer time...it's happening). When there's a cookie around, everyone is happy. The wonderful thing about cookies, is that not only are they easy to transport and easy to eat wherever you like, they're also a crowd pleaser no matter who is eating them. Babies love them, grandmas always seem to be making them, and mom always puts a smile on your face when you open up your lunch and find that she's packed you a cookie.

With a sweet tooth like mine, I am obviously not an exception to the rule. Cookies are so simple, I have been known to make multiple batches in one day. In fact, this weekend, that is exactly what I did. To say I went a little overboard might be accurate, however all of my friends who I have happily shared my sugary little creations with would agree that all three were definitely delicious (and therefore obviously necessary that I baked them all).

I started out with one of my classic gf favorites, a peanut butter cookie, decided, why not add chocolate to that, and then ended by attacking the meringue (post to follow shortly). I honestly think all three turned out awesomely (thank goodness after the last cookie catastrophe), but you'll have to ask my harshest critics, my friends, about that. For now, enjoy the scrumptiousness of not one, but two peanut butter cookies. These cookies are "naturally" gluten free, aka no weirdo substitutions. And I bet that you have most of the ingredients sitting in your kitchen now. The first is a classic peanut butter, and the second, a peanut butter chocolate cookie, because, well why not?

Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

for all the peanut butter fans out there

ready for the oven!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together by hand in a large mixing bowl

For the peanut butter, grease the inside of your measuring cup and the spoon you use to scoop out the peanut butter (Non-stick cooking spray works well for this)- I promise, it will help you out a lot!

Once ingredients are well mixed together (make sure all sugar is incorporated), roll the dough into small balls and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

With a fork, create a criss-cross pattern and sprinkle the top of the cookie with brown sugar (optional)

Bake cookies for 10 minutes, taking them out, even if they don't look quite done 

Let cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring over to a cooling rack

enjoy!

cooling...it takes a lot of will power to let them sit there

yum!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

Chocolately goodness

Follow the same steps as the cookies above, but for a reminder: 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together by hand in a large mixing bowl

Once ingredients are well mixed together roll the dough into small balls and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

With a fork, create a criss-cross pattern and sprinkle the top of the cookie with brown sugar (optional)

Bake cookies for 10 minutes, taking them out, even if they don't look quite done 

Let cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring over to a cooling rack

enjoy!

Chocolate and Peanut butter, what's not to love?

...I think next time, there will definitely be chocolate chips going into these bad boys