Peanut and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I had a great Halloween this year. Our last few Halloweens were celebrated with costumes thrown together last minute. This time, however, we spent some perfecting our Halloween alter-egos. I forgot how much fun Halloween is when you’re so into it!

Here are Pauly D and Mary Katherine Gallagher. I think the bronzer is really what made Will’s costume. Will danced like Pauly D all night, talking with an accent and beating up the beat. I jumped around like a maniac yelling, “gym-NASTICS!” and also serenaded our friends singing “Sometimes When We Touch.” Our friends who hosted the party also turned their garage into a dance floor. There was a lot of singing along and at some point in the evening, we formed a conga line that danced to “Shots.”

Some may have even dropped it like it was hot.

What an insanely fun Halloween. Oh, wait, right, cookies.

Well these are quite good. They are a solid, crispy cookie. I suspect they’d be even better if you follow the original recipe and use peanut butter chips instead of chopped up honey roasted peanuts like I did (where can I find peanut butter chips??) If you can find PB chips, stick with Deb’s recipe. I believe that Deb’s original is the true Superstar.

PEANUT AND CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES (adapted from Peanut Butter Cookies at smittenkitchen. Original recipe from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (I used smooth)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chocolate chunks

For sprinkling: 4 tablespoons sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanuts and chocolate chips. Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Pauly D, Bernie from Weekend at Bernie‘s, and Kenneth from 30 Rock. It should be noted that Bernie acted “dead” in every picture to be in character. A+ my friend.