Published: January 11, 2009 07:00 pm      

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jeanne Hubbard, the Record-Eagle's webmaster, made these cookies as Christmas presents, much to her friends' delight. She found the original recipe at Epicurious.com and said, instead of grating semisweet chocolate, "I put a half bag of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips in the food processor. Also, the peanut butter makes a big difference. Any natural peanut butter would be good. And, of course, use real butter."

Jose's Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1&1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 sticks (1 c.) unsalted butter, softened

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1 T. vanilla extract

3/4 c. peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 (12-oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

8 ozs. semisweet chocolate, grated (or 8 ozs. dark chocolate)

In a food processor pulse 1 c. oats until ground fine. In a large bowl stir together ground oats, remaining 1/2 c. whole oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and beat in vanilla and peanut butter. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and gradually beat in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips and grated chocolate, beating just until combined. Chill cookie dough, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Form rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly.

Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until just pale golden. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely.

We'll send a Record-Eagle "We've got you covered" apron to readers whose recipes are printed here as a Recipe of the Week. Please send recipes, along with your name, mailing address, phone number and some details on you, where you got the recipe and the reactions it gets to: Recipe of the Week, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685; fax (231) 946-8632; e-mail jtaylor@record-eagle.com.