Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

ADVANCE PREP

1. Set out butter and egg to reach room temperature.
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Only have one? Bake in batches allowing the baking sheet to fully cool in between batches.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

MAKE THE DOUGH

1. Using a stand mixer (or an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl), beat the softened butter for 1 minute until smooth. Add both sugars and beat until creamy and well incorporated, approx. 2 minutes.
2. Scrape down the sides as needed and beat in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until fully mixed and smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just incorporated. With the mixer still on low, add the chocolate chips and oats and mix until just combined. The dough will be very thick and slightly sticky.

CHILL THE DOUGH

1. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill the dough. This will help the cookies spread correctly.
2. For advance prep, you can keep dough in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Dough that has been chilling for an hour or more will need to sit out 30-60 minutes to be scoopable.
3. After chilling, use a 2 TBSP cookie scoop to measure out 16 scoops of dough.

LET'S BAKE SOME COOKIES!

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Arrange scoops of dough on a large parchment lined baking sheet spaced approx. 3 inches apart to allow the cookies adequate room to spread.
3. NOTE: if you oven is small like mine, you can bake one sheet of cookies at a time.
4. Place baking sheet on the center rack and bake cookies until the cookies are slightly puffed and the edges are lightly golden, about 12-14 minutes. Cookies will be slightly golden on the edges with a center that still looks soft.
5. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (the center will continue cooking during this time) then use a spatula to transfer each cookie to a wire rack to cool. We usually start stealing still-warm cookies off the rack after 5-10 minutes. So good!
6. NOTE: for extra-presentable cookies you can copy my trick of pressing a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the still-warm cookies while they sit on the baking sheet.
7. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

FREEZER COOKIES

1. After scooping portions of dough, take as many as you'd like to squirrel away for later and arrange spaced on a parchment lined plate. Place in the freezer for around an hour to set.
2. Once frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight container or baggie and bake up warm cookies with melty chocolate whenever you want! They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen, add a 1-2 extra minutes to the bake time and you're good to go.