Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips (inspired by Levain Bakery)

One winter day, I was walking in the Upper West Side in Manhattan and my companions and I were compelled to visit a basement bakery after being lured in by the delicious smell emitting from the store. We discovered Levain Bakery and indulged in their amazingly delicious cookies. My favorite was the chocolate with peanut butter chip and I have attempted to replicate it over the years. Their cookies are large and thick which results in a very moist center with a crispy top. This recipe is pretty common and not complicated, but the execution needs to be specific. In order to prevent them from spreading too much and keeping their thickness intact, ensure the butter is not too soft and then freeze the cookies in their ball shape prior to baking.

Ingredients: (makes 12 large cookies or 40 small cookies*)

• 2/3 cup butter*

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 t vanilla

• 1 egg

• 1/2 t baking soda

• 1/4 t salt

• 6 T unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 cup flour

• 1 10 oz bag peanut butter flavored chips

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter, add in vanilla and then eggs

2. In another bowl, mix baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and flour

3. Combine both bowls together and mix well

4. Stir in peanut butter chips

5. For large cookies, using an ice cream scoop, generously scoop cookies onto a baking sheet, leaving a few inches between cookies. For smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop.

6. Place baking sheet in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes- if your freezer cannot accommodate a baking sheet, instead place cookies on a plate or in a container lined with wax paper (to avoid sticking) to fit in freezer.

7. Preheat oven to 350 when ready to bake. Place frozen cookies on baking sheet and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes for large cookies, or 8-10 minutes for small, until outer layer is crispy, and depending on how frozen they were. Don't overbake!

8. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note #1: Big or small, these cookies are tasty, however, I am partial to the large ones, that can then be shared, if needed.

Note #2: The butter should be partially softened in order to mix, but still somewhat cold