Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

I thought I would have a chance to update again before Christmas to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! But I was frantically trying to get through my Christmas baking (cookies to give as gifts, Christmas eve dessert and brioche for cinnamon rolls on Christams morning) and pack them all up then deliver them. I'm never making and delivering Christmas cookies on the 23rd and 24th again! From now on it will be done the week before. (And of course it doesn't help that I want the cookies to be as fresh as possible when I deliver them so I leave the baking to the last possible minute.) Despite the stressful times, I'm not sick of baking and want to go bake something right now but our freezer is full of things so I feel like I shouldn't. I could however go through my new and old baking books and pick out the next recipes to try! Anyway, I hope you all had a good Christmas with lots of yummy food and were able to relax and enjoy everything.

So onto the cookies! I made these a while ago and really liked them. They're soft and buttery with slightly crispy edges. And they are no ordinary oatmeal cookie - they have peanut butter, chocolate chips, cinnamon and nutmeg. The cinnamon really adds something different and delicious to the cookies, though could of course be easily omitted if that's not your thing. I would omit the nutmeg next time because it's not a personal favourite spice - maybe I'd add cloves instead? I also want to try adding coconut to these.

If these sound good, you might also like:
Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Malt Cookies
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Britta's Peanut Butter Cookies

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
Adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours

I halved the recipe and it made 40 small cookies. The recipe below is for the full batch.

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours, or for up to 1 day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough.