Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

Like countless others out there, I adore the chocolate/peanut butter combination. There's something special about slightly sweet, slightly bitter,  intensely rich chocolate blending seamlessly with the salty, nutty and creamy peanut butter. I really don't understand those people out there who don't share my fascination with this perfect union. So of course when I saw this recipe on tastespotting a couple of weeks ago, I didn't waste any time in trying it out for my self.

These cookies take a basic double chocolate chunk cookie and elevate it to a whole new level, with peanut butter of course. While you make the cookie dough, you place a nice big bowl of peanut butter in the freezer. Then, at the last moment of mixing the cookies up, you dollop the chilled PB into the dough and mix it just enough to give it a nice, nutty swirl. All that's left is to bake them up and enjoy. The finished product is slightly crumbly but not dry, with a nice balance of salty and sweet. In other words, they are heavenly. Now excuse me while I go stuff my face.

 Double chocolate with a vein of PB, yum!

 Grab your butter and sugars

And in another bowl, your flour, cocoa mixture

 Then chop up some fantastic dark chocolate

 Since I didn't have enough chocolate, I thought I'd 

throw in some PB cups; 

Best. Idea. Ever!

Chop those up

 Cream the butter and sugars

 Add in the egg and vanilla

Throw in the flour/cocoa mixture and mix it all up

 Then it's time for the chocolate chunks, PB cups

and chilled peanut butter, 

swirl it in nicely

Drop the dough on a cookie sheet

Bake them up

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies
From Picky Palate
Ingredients

• 1 cup (9.5 oz) creamy peanut butter 
• 2 sticks (8 oz) softened butter 
• 1 cup (7.5 oz) granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) packed light brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1 3/4 cups (8 oz) all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 cups good quality chocolate chunks or chopped peanut butter cups, or a combination
• 1 cup (6.5 oz) cocoa powder 

Directions

Place peanut butter into the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.

Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add to wet ingredients along with cocoa powder, and chocolate chunks, slowly mixing until just combined. Drop dollops of frozen peanut butter into dough and turn mixer on for just a few turns of the mixer to get swirls of peanut butter through the dough.

With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes at 350 degrees, until cooked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.