Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chunks... Gluten, Dairy Free and Irresistible!

How do you feel about Wednesday?? A thought provoking question that recently appeared as a college application essay for the University of Chicago.  With our life currently revolving around college essays and everything college application related, my son brought this one to me with a look of utter disbelief and asked, "What would you write?"

Hmmm... Wednesday.  Sort of an innocuous day that really doesn't bring much emotion.  The weekend is still too far away to get excited about, yet we are already half way through our week of insane schedules, so I feel like we are getting there.

Wednesday, for us, brings a late start to school and an extra hour of sleep that somehow makes this day a little brighter than some of the others.  Especially as my alarm goes off after the sun rises, not as it merely thinks about peeking its rays over the horizon.  Waking to the sun, and usually a few minutes before the alarm goes off, my Wednesday sets off to a good start.

With the usual errands filling the day, Wednesday seems to pass rather uneventfully with each one mostly like the next or the last, but will admit to enjoying a few hours to myself with the pups as the kids are at school and my husband at work.  Noontime, though, brings thoughts of the kids returning soon and a knowledge that they will be hungry.  As such, my thoughts turn to food, and today, to cookies. Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chunks to be exact.

Gluten and dairy free, these irresistible little bites bring Wednesday to a new level.  Bursting with peanut buttery flavor, the crumb sort of melts in your mouth and has you immediately reaching for another.  The semi-sweet chocolate chunks add an additional layer of depth, and again, have you immediately reaching for another.

So, as for Wednesday... while I'm not thinking my somewhat indifferent thoughts on the day will get me into college, this Wednesday has shaped up to be a pretty good one.  How do you feel about Wednesday??

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chunks
Gluten and dairy free (not that anyone would know it!) these cookies whip together in a flash and disappear just as quickly.  Just what anyone would need to perk up their Wednesday!
adapted from a recipe found in Real Simple
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1 cup peanut butter (we use Jiff**)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 handful chocolate chips (we used Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks)

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and using a wooden spoon, stir well to combine.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets (place about 2 inches apart and do not flatten).  Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, golden and a little cracked on top.  Remove from the oven and allow to firm up on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes.  I dare you not to eat one!!  ;)

Remove from baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.  Enjoy!

**Liv Life Note:  We've made these both with natural peanut butter (I used Trader Joe's brand) and with Jiff cream and with Jiff crunchy peanut butters.  While all were a delight to eat, those made with Jiff had a more "cookie-like" texture.