Cookies can be a meal

Today I made cookies with my niece and nephew. Anyone who knows me might know how challenging it is for me to relinquish control and allow them to do all the mixing, measuring, scooping, etc. Also, the messes… We did have to review that it is important to read what the measuring cup that you are using is labeled as. Say, for instance, if you use a 2/3 cup when you think you are using a 1/2 cup….things can get a little wonky. Over all, they did great and we did not destroy my mother in laws kitchen and the cookies turned out.

My niece told me about these yummy “peanut butter jumbo cookies” her dad brought home once and she wanted to attempt to recreate them… initially… but I was not provided all the information and our shopping list was lacking. I mean, of course I should have gotten Reece’s pieces m&m candies but she didn’t tell me we needed those until we were scooping our dough out onto cookie sheets. I went with an oatmeal chocolate chip monster cookie type vibe, but alas no Reece’s pieces.

Ingredients

• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Several generous shakes of cinnamon
• 2/3 c dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 c butter, softened
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1/3 c peanut butter
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1 c chocolate chunks
• 1/4 c mini peanut butter chips
• 1/4 c Heath pieces
• 1/4 c pecans
• 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1 c corn flakes cereal
• course sea salt ( save for sprinkling)
• Get Reece’s pieces, add them, 1/2 c

Now before we start, I want to clarify part of my ingredient list. Room temperature eggs are important, ya hear? Take it out. Put it in a bowl. Do it. Softened butter is important too and it is not the same thing as melted butter. Melted butter does not cream. Heat a mason jar or a glass by filling it with hot water multiple times. Put your stick of butter on the counter and flip the hot glass over the butter. Please note- this will soften cold butter from the fridge but it will not defrost butter. Thank you for your attention to this public service announcement. Moving on…

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Cream butter and sugar. Have your brother hold the bowl for you. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you ever did see? Add the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. Continue mixing until combined.

Prep all your other ingredients. In our case, we needed to chop up some nuts and chocolate chunks. Teamwork makes the dream work. In our case, the nut chopper.

Add in your dry mixture along with “the good stuff” (your rolled oats, pieces, chunks, chips, and nuts). Add the cereal last of all.

So now

Once combined, set out cookie sheets and scoop dough onto the cookie sheets, space the cookies at least 2 inches apart. Sprinkle judiciously with course sea salt (much needed concept). Bake at 350 for 13 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet at least 2 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks. Enjoy! I vote you add Reece’s prices, we agreed they would have been real yummy.

Now you know what I meant when I said cookies can be a meal…. look at all that goodness jam packed into that cookie! I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow with my coffee!