Brown Butter Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Secret Recipe Club

My March Secret Recipe Club submission has been met with extreme research.   Immediately visiting my assigned blog, Mangia, nearly an entire hour was spent getting caught up in Chelsey's posts on subjects ranging from food, to pins, to photos, to her family and on to her brand new iPhone.  Chelsey is truly an adorable 20-something who reminds me of my own Liv with her passion for Living Life and the happiness she exudes while doing it.

A Texas girl, with similarities to me in her recipe style, Chelsey's blog is filled with healthy recipes in combination with hearty dishes and extremely tempting sweet treats.  A recent grad with a BA in Kinesiology (had to look that one up... the scientific study of human movement) she boasts an Italian heritage that had her making meatballs before riding a bike.  Inspired by her sister who has Celiac Disease, Chelsey works to recreate family favorites in a Gluten-Free fashion, and from my perusing, she succeeds.

With my extensive research interrupted by Liv's dance rehearsal schedule and life in general, the publish date for this SRC assignment was on me before I knew it, and not being a gluten-free baker I didn't have some of the necessary ingredients on hand to attempt one of the GF recipes.  Hence, I turned to a gluten-full recipe featuring my beloved peanut butter -  peanut butter, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, brown sugar and brown butter to be exact.  Ahhhh... I think I'm in heaven!

As such, my second level of research began:  Studying the actual recipe.  Making a few substitutions (simply due to what I had, or rather didn't have, on hand - who runs out of a/p flour??), my dough came out a tad crumbly in my first batch, but was packed with chocolate chips as I may have wonderfully added a few more than required.

Test #1:  The Dough.  Yep... the dough was divine!

Bake and Test #2:  The Warm cookie.  Good, but not as good as the dough.

Cool and Test #3:  The Cooled cookie.  Wow.  Wow!  Did I say, "Wow!!!"?

 

Actual adjectives used by teenage boys and girls who devoured these cookies include:  Extraordinary,  fantastic,  superb,  excellent,  exquisite,  muy bueno,  delicious,  out of this world, awesome, brilliant and totally killer.

Ok, on with the experimentation and research.  Hearing a famous Dr. Seuss rhyme on the radio as I was baking, I figured Today was my Day.  I was off to great places, I was off and away.

But...

Would I like them on a plate?

Absolutely, it must be fate.

Would I like them in the afternoon?

Most definitely as these beauties make me swoon.

Would I like them in the car?

Yep, especially if I have to drive very far.

Would I like them in the morning for brunch?

Without a doubt, I'll have a bunch.

And lastly,

Would I like them in the kitchen?

You bet!  These cookies are **tchen'!

Ok... so I don't really use words like the last one, but I couldn't think of anything else to rhyme with kitchen, and well, the description is apt and it's the word my teenage son used to describe these beauties.

Chelsey, your cookies rock!  We did a taste and critique test at dance the other night, and with 6 thirteen year old girls in my car we went through no less that 20 cookies in no time at all.  I had 3 requests to bring them again next week and 2 request to send the recipes to the girls' mothers.  When asked what they would do differently, the overwhelming response was, "Nothing!  Don't change a thing!".

I'd say we have a winner.

 Mangia!

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

My first batch came out a bit crumbly, most likely due to my lack of measuring and adding too much whole wheat flour (Liv actually preferred this batch).  The second batch, however, turned out wonderfully.  Taken to our St. Patrick's Day adult event, the plate was cleaned quickly and my next door neighbor wanted to make sure that I had more so she "could have some tomorrow".  I haven't had a hit like these in a while!

adapted from Chelsey at Mangia

Baking instructions are Chelsey's

printer friendly

2 sticks (1 c.) of unsalted butter (I used 1 stick + 6 Tbs)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 3/4 c. brown sugar (I used 1 1/2 Cups)
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter (I used a very generous 2/3 cup)
2 eggs
2 t. pure vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour (I used 2 Cups A/P Flour and 1 Cup Whole Wheat)
1 1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1 c. peanut butter chips (+ 2-3 really big handfuls of dark chocolate chips - the teen girls LOVED the high ratio of chip/cookie)

1. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat on the stove and melt the butter.
2. Keep your eye on the butter, as it will start to foam and make a crackling noise (watch out, you could get hit by little "spits" of hot butter).
3. After the foam subsides, small brown flecks will start to appear on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has reached a nice brown color, and has a nutty aroma, turn the heat off. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl and refrigerate until solid again.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream the solid butter, sugar, and peanut butter until mixed well. Scrape down the side of the bowl.
5. Continue mixing, while adding the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
6. Add the vanilla. Mix well for a few minutes until the batter is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
7. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
8. With the machine on low, slowly add the flour. Mix until just combined, making sure not to over mix.
9. Fold in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
10. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. 
11. Bake at 350 F for 9-12 (we found about 10 min was good for our batch) minutes, or until golden on the outside, and slightly gooey on the inside.
12. Allow to cool on a wire rack...or just eat immediately!