Sometimes, the simplest things are the best things out there. For example, my favorite type of chocolate is a nice square of anything above 60% dark with salt added to it. When added to something sweet, salt actually helps accentuate the sweetness; it does it with a depth that simply adding more sugar can never achieve.
Even with the peanut butter in the center, these cookies need that extra sprinkling of salt on top to help transport them from good to absolutely fantastic. The saltiness balances the bitterness of the dark chocolate and brings a sweetness to these cookies that would be just too much if they were made with milk chocolate.
These are rich and balanced; perfect just out of the oven when the middle is still gooey and the chocolate chips are melted. You’ll want one of these at any time of the day and honestly, I wouldn’t judge–they’re perfect in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or after dinner. Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic combination that you really just can’t go wrong with.
To think: this recipe started off completely healthy. Originally, it used avocado and Truvia brown sugar to make them low in sugar and calories. It was the request/challenge of a coworker to make something Ketogenic friendly and they came out overly soft and needed to be refrigerated. They were so dark and rich and lacking in that sweetness you want when you reach for a cookie.
When revisiting these cookies for the blog, I decided it would be better to just go for it and completely revamp them. Why sacrifice flavor to make something diet friendly when, really, the best thing you can do is give in to your craving. Depriving yourself if what makes dieting hard and kills them. Allowing yourself a treat, knowing that you can have that one cookie without it completely derailing you, will satisfy you more. Plus, you’re bound to get more nourishment from something you can savor and enjoy than you would a pale substitute.
The moral of my post is simply this: just go for it. To quote Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle, “Treat yo’ self.” You’ll be happier if you do. One bite of these, still warm from the oven, gives just that satisfaction you look for in a cookie.
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
cookies
|
- 1/2 cup butter cold and cubed
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsps dark/bittersweet chocolate melted
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup dark/bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (1 tsp per cookie)
- coarse/flaked sea salt for sprinkling on top
Ingredients
|
|
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy--about 3-5 minutes on medium high/high. In the meantime, melt the 1/2 Tbsp of dark/bittersweet chocolate chips; let it cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Once the butter and sugars are mixed, add in the egg and vanilla one at a time until fully combined. Using a spatula to make sure you get it all, add the melted chocolate and mix.
- Add the dry ingredients 1/2 at a time, mixing until the dough just begins to come together. Fold in the dark/bittersweet chocolate chips. If the dough seems a bit crumbly, pack it down a bit and leave it to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough; with either your finger or a butter knife, create a hole in the center of the dough, some of it should go over the edge of the scoop, and drop in 1 tsp of peanut butter. Fold the dough over the bottom. If you need more, add extra so that the peanut butter is fully covered. Drop onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle with flaked/coarse sea salt.
- Bake 10 minutes. Let cool about 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.