Pizza Pasta Casserole Recipe

I was inspired to make this pizza casserole when I saw Tasty Kitchen member How to Pinch a Penny's recipe. I halved her recipe (as it served 8) and swapped in and out a few ingredients to suit my tastes. And I have to tell you--this was the best thing I've eaten in a long time. WOW! I'm not normally a casserole fan, but with piano lessons bumping into our dinner time, this was the perfect solution. My version of the recipe makes 4 servings, but honestly it only served my husband and I. We cleaned the dish. This was amazing! Your family will love you forever for this. I promise

Pizza Pasta Casserole Recipe

recipe based loosely off Tasty Kitchen recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2  onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Crushed red pepper

1 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped

4 cups short cut pasta 

2 cups pasta sauce 

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup pepperoni slices, halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Bring water to a boil in a 2 quart sauce pan. Cook your pasta about a minute short of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta.

In a large skillet, brown your ground beef over medium heat until nicely browned. Drain off the fat and transfer the cooked meat to a clean plate or bowl. Leaving a bit of the drippings in the pan will be fine. You are going to be sautéing the onion in a minute anyway.

Sauté the onion and garlic in the rendered beef fat till soft, translucent and slightly golden on some of the edges. Sprinkle in desired amount of crushed red pepper (a pinch or two). Add olive oil or more pan drippings if there is not enough to sauté properly. In the last minute of cooking stir in chopped spinach. 

To the skillet of sauteed onions/garlic/spinach add pasta, browned meat, pasta sauce, most of the mozzarella (reserving some for the topping), and pepperoni. Stir to combine.

Coat a deep dish pie pan or a 9x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 

Spoon in pasta mixture and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. 

Bake for 45 minutes at 350F or until heated through and bubbly.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow on Facebook.

Bittersweet Chocolate Chip and Toffee Cookie Recipe

This grown-up version of everyone's favorite chocolate cookie is just delightful. With the added bite of the bittersweet chocolate and the crunchy sweetness of the toffee, your guests will be amazed by how the plain-old-chocolate chip cookie was transformed into something memorable. Online baking and pastry classes offer aspiring chefs an artful outlet for creating updated versions of classic favorites.


Bittersweet Chocolate Chip and Toffee Cookie Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Yields: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla 

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk 

2-1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

1-1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup toffee bits (brickle) 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream together margarine, shortening, brown sugar and sugar. Mix in vanilla and egg and egg yolk until combine. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee. 

Drop by tablespoonful onto a large cookie sheet (preferably lined with a silicone baking mat.) Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges and tops of cookies are just golden. Let rest on the cookie sheet 2 or 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow on Facebook.

Creamy Broccoli, Chicken, and Penne Casserole Recipe

I was in need of a meal I could prepare in advance and have ready for our dinner at the end of my piano teaching hours. It was too late to start a crockpot meal. I don't normally go for casseroles, but when these ingredients popped into my brain, I knew I had a winner. This is quick and easy to throw together. It was amazing to come into the kitchen after teaching and find this meal ready to eat. Filling and nutritious, I recommend this to any family. 

Creamy Broccoli and Penne Casserole Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 chicken tenderloins
2 cups dry whole wheat penne pasta

1/2 cup milk
2 cups frozen broccoli

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 - 14 oz can cream of chicken soup

Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Directions

In a 2 quart sauce pot boil water and add 2 cups pasta. Cook to al dente. 

Defrost chicken tenderloins and cook in the microwave. (I never cook meat in the microwave, but because this was being combined into a tasty casserole, it worked out just fine.) Chop chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large skillet, add a splash of milk and cook the broccoli and garlic. Stir in spinach, Italian seasoning, and chicken pieces. Then add in cream of chicken soup and milk. Drain pasta and add to the skillet, stirring to combine. Pour casserole into a deep dish 9 inch pie pan or a 9x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes 

and definitely  Follow on Facebook.

Fresh Cranberry Scones Recipe

Cranberries are the perfect accent for the Christmas holiday, and these scones are exactly what your table needs to make your breakfast or brunch festive. I decided at the very last minute to try my hand at scones and this is the perfect recipe. It's simple and easy to pull together in 10 minutes, and the scones bake up beautifully. Impress your guests this holiday season!

Fresh Cranberry Scones Recipe

recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Makes 10-12 scones

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup 2 % milk 

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingers. Whisk into the flour mixture.

Add cold butter pieces to the flour mixture. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, fork, or your hands. I prefer to use my hands. Mix until you have pea size chunks of butter.

In a small glass measuring cup, whisk the half and half, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until moist. Gently stir in the fresh cranberries. Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead until dough comes together.

Shape dough into a large circle. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the scone dough. Cut dough into wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each scone with half and half and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until scones are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

*Note-these scones are best eaten the day they are made. Serve with jam, butter, or enjoy plain.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow on Facebook.

Peppermint Bittersweet Chocolate Fudge Recipe

If you're anything like me, you LOVE fudge. :) I never imagined making my own would be so easy. This delicious chocolate fudge came together in less than 5 minutes. Can't beat that. And the mix of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate a more distinct flavor. Less overwhelmingly sweet and more cultured. :)

Peppermint Bittersweet Chocolate Fudge Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 64 pieces (2 pounds)

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp salt

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract
3 candy canes, finely chopped or crushed

Directions

Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with wax paper. Set aside. 

In a 3 quart sauce pan (or using a double boiler*) combine the chocolate chips, salt, and sweetened condensed milk over low heat. Stir continuously until chips are melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Transfer to the 8x8 inch dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with candy cane bits and gently push into the fudge. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until hardened. 

Remove the fudge from the dish by pulling out the wax paper liner. Place on a cutting board and pull back the edges of the wax paper. Cut into 64 squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes 

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

Because it's not too late to enjoy another pumpkin pie.
Because Christmas deserves pumpkin just as much as Thanksgiving does.
Because I love this pumpkin pie.

I'm pulling it out of the archives and sharing it with all of you once again.

originally written November 2009
I love a good piece of pumpkin pie. For me this means, a melt in your mouth crust that is not at all soggy and the perfect spice-to-pumpkin ratio. This recipe hits the nail on the head and bakes up beautifully.

Spicy Pumpkin Pie
recipe adapted from the can of pumpkin 
Makes 1 pie


Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) Pure Pumpkin

1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell (Never Fail Pie Crust, people!)
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.
Serve immediately or store in a cool place. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Tasty Kitchen Feature

You all know about the awesomeness that is the Tasty Kitchen website, right? It's Pioneer Woman's recipe sharing website. It's amazing. Everyday cooks--like me--get to share their recipes with the world. If I need recipe ideas, it's my first stop. And I love the Oven Mitt Rating system. Viewers and try recipes and come back and review them--giving each recipe 1-5 "Mitts" along with specific feedback in the comments section. Cool, huh? 

The reason I'm sharing Tasty Kitchen with you on this particular day? 

I'm the Featured Member!!

On the homepage of the website you'll see my face! How cool is that?! I feel a little bit famous. :) 

Thanks TK, for featuring me. You guys rock! 

Rolo Blossom Cookie Recipe

For a fun and tasty take on the original "peanut butter blossom," try these rolo blossom cookies. The creamy caramel Rolos are a beautiful and delicious addition to your peanut butter base. Adults will love these, and I'm betting many kids will too.

Rolo Blossom Cookie Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 3-4 dozen cookis

Ingredients

48 Rolos, unwrapped

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Sugar, for rolling 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Cream together shortening and peanut butter with sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (using a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop if possible). Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a Rolo into the center of each cookie. The cookies will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow on Facebook.

Sweet Cherry Pie Recipe

I was commissioned by my grandma to make a cherry pie. I learned there are two types of cherry pie--tart and sweet. I choose the sweet variety this time and can't wait to try the more traditional tart cherry pie at the next opportunity. The filling couldn't be any simpler and with that never fail pie crust, you've got a real winner here.

Sweet Cherry Pie Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Ingredients

Top & Bottom pie crusts from the Never Fail Recipe 

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cornstarch

6-8 cups sweet cherries (thawed, if frozen)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and cherries. Let sit 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Place bottom crust in your 9 inch pie plate. Pour in cherry filling. Top with second crust and flute edges. 

Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until filling is bubbling and crust in lightly golden. (Cover edges of the pie crust with tin foil if needed.) 

Cool completely before serving.  

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes Follow on Facebook.

Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

This apple pie is perfect year-round, but in this dessert-centric holiday season, I thought it needed to be brought to the forefront. The hardest part of this pie is peeling all the apples. If you can handle that, you can make a delicious apple pie. 

originally written February 20, 2009

This recipe is a specialty for me.  Every time I've made it using these recipes, the reviews have been fantastic!  The crust is the perfect combination of flaky, moist and spicy with just a bit of crispness. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Apple Pie Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 two-crust pie

Ingredients

1/2 batch of Never Fail Pie Crust (for 2 crusts)

6-8 cups cooking apples*, peeled and thinly sliced

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter, cut into 4 pieces

Lemon juice, optional

Directions

*Granny Smith, Macintosh, Paula Red, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Rome Beauty

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Line 9 inch deep-dish pie pan with the first crust.   

Peel and slice apples into an extra large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Pour cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples and toss to coat thoroughly.  Add the apples to the bottom pie crust, heaping in the center (be sure to pile in more apples than it should look after cooked--apples will cook down). Dot with 1 Tbsp. butter.  (Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice if apples are not tart.  Add 1 Tbsp. flour if apples are too juicy.)  Put on top crust and seal edges.  Flute the edges with your fingers or with a fork..  Prick top crust (or cut out a shape in the center or cut the letter "A" in the top or whatever you want...)

Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Lower temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40-45 minutes or until apples are cooked through when pricked with a fork.

Cool completely on wire rack. 

Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

It was time to dig this recipe out of the archives in time for the Christmas cookie exchanges, the holiday gatherings, and the potlucks a-plenty. If you're like me and you look forward to seeing these classic Peanut Butter Blossoms on cookies trays, this is the perfect recipe for you!


originally written December 2009

These have always been a favorite cookie of mine, but for some reason (probably the cost of those blasted delicious Hershey kisses) I've never made them myself. My mom asked if I could make a bunch of cookies for her to have around for the holidays and when she mentioned these little buggers I knew this was my chance. I think they turned out beautifully. Thanks to Michelle and her mom at Brown Eyed Baker for the recipe!

Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

(Source: BrownEyedBaker's Mom)

Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients

48 Hershey’s kisses, unwrapped
1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Sugar, for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (Michelle used a small cookie scoop from Pampered Chef and got exactly 48 cookies. I used a 1.5 Tbsp scoop and got just over 2 dozen.) Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

originally posted November 2010

I remember eating this casserole as a child and thinking the only good part was the marshmallows. Now, as an adult, I wanted to stay away from the marshmallow version of the casserole. You know, cause it's the "mature" thing to do. But I'm so glad I didn't listen to my inner adult. This dish rocks. The crispy, toasted, sweet marshmallows are the perfect topper to this nutrient rich root vegetable mash. Yum!

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups mini marshmallows or chopped regular marshmallows

Directions

Note: This can be made up to one day in advance and refrigerated. If you do this, do not add the mini marshmallows until you are ready to bake the dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, then turn the heat down to low. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through (they should be fork tender – this will probably take 10-15 minutes). Drain off the water and return potatoes to the pan. Add milk, butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mash until creamy.

Transfer sweet-potato mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. (At this point, if you want to make it ahead you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day. If you’re refrigerating it overnight, take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking.)

Top casserole with marshmallows. Bake at 375F until the center is warmed through and marshmallows are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Crescent Rolls Recipe

Thanksgiving was a relaxed occasion for us this year. We weren't eating until 5pm, so we took our good old time getting around to baking. Thanks to the extra time, I decided to try my hand at homemade crescent rolls. I love me some Pillsbury rolls from the cans that scare the crap out of me when they POP, but there is nothing like homemade bread. I like that you can control the amount of butter and sugar by making your own rolls. And this recipe really isn't that challenging. There are a lot of steps, but I promise--You can handle it!  

Crescent Rolls Recipe

recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Makes 16 rolls

Ingredients

1 Tbsp dry active yeast

1/4 cups warm water

1/4 cups butter

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 whole beaten eggs

2-1/4  cups flour,  Up To 1/2 Cup More If Necessary

Directions

Dissolve yeast into 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees). Set aside and allow yeast to activate.

Heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Allow to cool.

Add sugar, salt, eggs, and yeast mixture to the milk mixture.

In a stand mixer, combine 2-1/4 cups of flour and the milk mixture. Mix until smooth and mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If mixture is to sticky, slowly add up to 1/2 cup of flour while the mixer is running. The dough should be slightly sticky, but workable. Remember, a soft dough makes a light roll.

Cover the mixer bowl, and allow to rise until double, approximately an hour.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and form into balls.

Turn first ball onto a large floured board or clean counter. Using a rolling pin, dusted with flour, roll out ball into a 16″ to 17″ disk. (optional--at this point, you can spread butter across the dough before rolling. Yum.)

Cut like a pizza into 16 pieces. (Cut it into quarters, and the quarters into half, and then half again. This keeps the size of the rolls even.) Each piece of dough now looks like a long triangle. Taking hold of each end of the bottom of the triangle, stretch the dough gently and roll up to the point.

Place each roll onto a cookie sheet, curving it into a crescent shape. Make sure to tuck the end under the bottom of the roll (otherwise it will pop up and burn). 

Allow to rise for about an hour. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Brush the tops of the hot rolls with butter. Best served warm.

You should totally Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow us on Facebook.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

That jellied cranberry sauce from a can has always weirded me out. I might take a bite or two just to be polite, but that was it. My life has been changed by this fresh cranberry sauce, though! SO easy, perfectly tart, and the best compliment to those turkey dinners and hot panini sandwiches. I'm never going back. It is easy and fun to learn to cook  with fresh ingredients, and the taste will knock the pants off pre-packaged and processed meals.  

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

recipe adapted from Ocean Spray

Serves 6-10

Ingredients

1/2-1 cup sugar (depending on taste and tartness)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice

1-12 oz bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

Directions

In a 2 quart sauce pan, combine sugar, water and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add in cranberries. Maintain a slow boil, stirring frequently. Cook approximately 15 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled. 

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes Follow on Facebook.

Baking Powder Biscuits Recipe

It was Sunday morning. There was a potluck brunch after the early service and I had nothing prepared yet. Oops! Quick, Mel, think fast. What could I make in less than 30 minutes? Fresh biscuits, of course! This was the first time I had used this biscuit recipe, but it was so fast and easy I hope to return to it again and again. 

These biscuits are perfect moist and peel-apart flaky. They are great served fresh from the oven, topped with butter or honey or your favorite jam. I'd love to do a sausage gravy and biscuits breakfast with these sometime as well! Yum!

Baking Powder Biscuits Recipe

from Betty Crocker Cookbook

Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender 9or by pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl (dough will be soft and sticky).

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 inch thick. Cut with flour 2 to 2-1/4 inch round cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart for crusty sides or touching for soft sides.

Baking 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve walrm.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes and Follow on Facebook.

Cranberry Bread Recipe

I was a fresh cranberry newbie. I don't know what it was about these beautiful berries, but I had kept my distance. After receiving a baking order for cranberry bread, I thought it was about time to start incorporating cranberries into my holiday baking. I bought 3 bags of berries--so don't be surprised if there is a surprising number of cranberry-ful recipes in the near future!   

Cranberry Bread Recipe

recipe created by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 1 - 9x5 loaf

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups fresh cranberries

raw sugar

Directions

Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Meanwhile combine egg, milk and oil in a small bowl. Beat in sugars. Add dry mixture to the wet ingredients and combine thoroughly. Gently stir in cranberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around pan to loosen bread. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Puffy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ever since I saw this recipe tweeted about a few days ago, I have been dreaming about these cookies. I don't know what it is that made my brain incapable of forgetting about these images, but I just couldn't get past it. I'm so glad I finally gave in to my cravings. You should have seen (and heard) my husband and I as we took our first bites of these thick and chewy peanut butter cookies. 

Oh.

My.

WORD.

Perfection in cookie form. Everything I love all wrapped up into four heavenly bites. 

Puffy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

adapted from howsweeteats.com

Makes 2-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

8 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled

6 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add butter and peanut butter to a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 second increments until melted. Let cool completely.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. 

In another bowl, mix the cooled butter/peanut butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms – it may look crumbly at first, but it will come together. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop dough into large tablespoonfuls and roll. Place on a baking sheet two inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Do not over bake. Let cool completely then dig in!

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes plus! Follow on Facebook.