PB Monster Cookies
For Kimmay
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance butter, softened to room temperature*
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg (or egg substitute equivalent)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour (measured)
1/2 cup quick oats*
1/4 cup Peanut Butter M&Ms
1/4 cup Mini M&Ms
1/4 cup Reeses Pieces
1/2 cup peanut butter chips and/or semi-sweet choc. chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the quick oats, M&Ms, and pb/chocolate chips. If the dough is very soft and unmanageable by hand, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.
Rolls balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, onto prepared baking sheet. Press a few extra M&Ms on top for looks, if preferred. Bake for 9-10 minutes - do not bake past 10 minutes. The cookies will appear undone. I too mine out at 9 minutes, which is recommended. Slightly press down the baked cookies with the back of a spoon, since the cookies only slightly spread in the oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool. Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies freeze well.
Additional Notes:
*You may use unsalted butter in this recipe. If so, add 1/4 tsp salt with the flour.
*Please use quick oats in this recipe. You need the slightly finer texture from the quick oats in order to give the cookies a more uniform texture. Quick oats will act more as a binder in this recipe than whole oats would, since the consistency is more powdery and the oats are smaller in size.
