Chocolate-Flecked Peanut Butter Cookies

[Worker Bee]

These are so good. Now that the kids are back to school I'm baking more so that they'll have snacks and things to tuck in their lunch boxes.

Yield: About 2 1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely grated
Granulated sugar, for dipping the fork


1.Position the racks in the top two thirds of the oven and preheat
to 350 F. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch,
baking soda, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at
medium-high speed, cream the butter for about 1 minute or until
creamy. While beating, gradually add the granulated sugar and then
the brown sugar until blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla and
continue beating the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes or until blended.
Beat in the egg and vanilla and continue beating the mixture for 2 to
3 minutes or until it is thick and light colored. Beat in the peanut
butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients just until
smooth. Stir in the grated chocolate.

3. Put the granulated sugar (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) in a small,
shallow dish. Using 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll
the dough between the palms of your hands into 1 1/4-inch balls. Put
the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 2 1/2 to 3 inches
between the cookies. Dip the tines of a fork into the sugar and press
the fork into the top of each cookie. Dip the fork back into the
sugar and, in the opposite direction, press the tines into the top of
each cookie to make a crisscross pattern. The cookies will be about 2
inches in diameter. Repeat for all the cookies. Bake the cookies for
about 12 minutes or until they are light golden around the edges.
Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to paper towels for 2 to 3
minutes and then to a wire rack to cool completely.