George Washington Carver was the most well known promoter of peanuts. He collected over 100 peanut recipes including three for peanut cookies calling for crushed/chopped peanuts as the primary ingredient. It wasn’t until the 1920s that peanut butter was listed as an ingredient in the cookies.

The early peanut butter cookies were rolled thin and cut or “dropped” and made into peanut balls. They did not have famous fork marks. The first reference to the criss-cross pattern created with fork tines was published in the Schenectady Gazette in 1932.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats, lightly processed
1 cup Choclatique Milk Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats (which have been lightly processed in a food processor) and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Press down with the tines of a fork to flatten and leave the signature criss-cross pattern.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Doctor