I almost refused to write this article. Once I remembered that wasn’t really an option, I thought about changing the topic. Had I overlooked a different recipe that I wanted to share? Was there something new I could try? Could I put a new spin on an old dish in order to effectively avoid running this one? Quite unfortunately, I kept coming back to the fact that I couldn’t.

You see, as a food writer, there is a careful balance between wanting to gush about new recipes that may be the best thing I’ve ever made and wanting to keep them to myself so that no one else can make them. This one fell more toward the latter. I’ll happily make these cookies for you in order to show off the recipe, but I’m loath to publish it widely across the campus and on the Internet.

Alas, my tendency toward sharing resulted in me somewhat grudgingly writing this article. Maybe it’s the fact that I taught preschool this year and want to set a good example. Maybe it’s simply the hope that someone will make these cookies for me in an attempt to impress me. Pro tip: that person would succeed.

This recipe is inspired by the famous cookies from the New York City, Upper West Side-based Levain Bakery on 74 Street, just off Amsterdam. The bakery only offers four kinds of cookies, and it is my life’s goal to master each.  Right now I’m willing to say I’ve come close to mastery with this one, and I’m motivated to get started with the next.

 

Double Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

(Adapted from fransfavs.com and knewton.com)

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

1/2 cup high-quality cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 3/4 sticks (14 tbsp.) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4″ cubes

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Directions

1. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, cream butter with two forks or a mixer.

3. Add the brown and granulated sugars to the butter, then mix. Add vanilla.

4. Beat in eggs into the butter mix.

5. Slowly and gently stir in dry ingredients until completely incorporated, then add chocolate and peanut butter chips.

6. Refrigerate dough for at least two hours, or freeze for 30 minutes.

7. Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

8. Place sizeable (1/4 cup) chunks of dough on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 17-18 minutes. It’s okay if the tops are a little soft when you take them out; they will firm up!