Today as my Sweetie set out for a hike with Boy and Dog (you know them as Chris and Maddy), the last thing he said to me was: “Say, do you have any peanut butter in the house? I’d love some of those peanut-butter cookies!”

Awww… well, sure!  “How about if I try something new and add a few chocolate chips …?”  His eyes lit up like Christmas. (Karen Edmisten suggested that I use peanut butter M&Ms instead, which I would have had I had any.)  But my version turned out pretty well, so I thought I’d share it with all y’all. (I’m still recovering from my Texas Adventure.)

Heidi’s Cocoa-Peanut Butter Gems

1/2 C butter or margerine
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
dash allspice
1 C chocolate chips (more or less)
1/2 C honey-roasted peanuts (optional)

Beat together butters, sugars, egg, and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together dry ingredients and add gradually to butter mixture. Stir in peanuts and chips. Chill about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 and roll chilled dough in 1 inch balls between your palms. Set about 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes, until browned and set. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to counter to finish cooling. Makes about 4 dozen.

Kids really enjoying making these!