double chocolate chunk peanut cookies

Even though I have been raving about summer around here (and sometimes complaining about the heat), the absolutely truth is…I’ve kind of been craving fall.  Just a bit, when I catch a cool breeze and think oh! this is how it might be all the time in the fall!  Or when I wake up on a Saturday morning and realize that in just a few short weeks we will be able to fill our days with football and our college pick ’em tournament will be in full swing.

And then I feel guilty for a moment because, come on, it’s summer!  The season of vacations and cookouts and lighter evenings and fireflies.  It’s the time of year to be out on the water and go to the beach and retreat to the cooler mountains.

But still.  I’ve been finding myself craving changing leaves and crisper air and fires.  There is this one precious month in the fall here (October) when the leaves and air and sun are all their best fall selves.  It’s a month I haven’t been fully here for in years, and so perhaps I’m just extra looking forward to it this year.

I’m trying to stay present for now.  Because it’s summer, and come January next year I will be desperate for now.  But apparently my subconscious can’t be tricked by the things I try to tell myself, because last week I accidentally made the perfect fall cookie.  I should have known when I read the recipe, because, uhm, hello cinnamon.  But I suppose I thought they might be more snickerdoodle like (which I think is appropriate for any season of the year).  I didn’t realize how perfectly the cinnamon was going to blend in with the chocolate and peanut butter to create the kind of cookie you want to drink with hot chocolate.  I didn’t realize how much the peanuts were going to give the cookies an autumn crunch.

But I’m glad I didn’t think of these things because I might have pushed the recipe aside, saving it for later because it’s not seasonal for now, and then I would have missed these cookies for several more months.  These are the type of cookies that are perfect for crunchy cookie lovers, and especially perfect for dipping into cookie partnered beverages.  They are crisp in their bite and warm in their flavor.  And if I hadn’t made these now, I wouldn’t have realized that I have my perfect fall cookie for this year.

So you know, just save this one if you’d like.  Go about your summer business, but know that this is here waiting for you.  And if you’re craving a little bit of fall in the middle of summer, well, you’re not alone.  And these cookies will make you feel better.

Double Chocolate Chunk Peanut Cookies
adapted from The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes per batch

Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter and peanut butter.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue to mix until creamy, 2-3 more minutes.  Then add the eggs and beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
4. Stir in the peanut and chocolate chips.
5. Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to scoop out 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons per cookie).  Roll them between your palms to make uniform shapes.  Place on the baking sheet about two inches apart, and then flatten slightly.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are beginning to look crisp on the top.  Remove from oven and cool on the pan for about 2 minutes.  Then place cookies on wire racks to finish cooling.  Serve warm or at room temperature.