As most of you know, we live a little bit in the boonies. Not completely, since getting to Cincinnati only takes about an hour–and the northern suburbs, which are pretty well stocked–only take about 30 minutes. But at the same time, we are on 5 acres at the back of a private lane off of a 55 mph rural highway. Which has made teaching the girls to ride their bikes without training wheels interesting, to say the least. There is nowhere to bike and our lane is just hilly enough to make riding a bike here nerve wracking for tiny novices. Any longer bike riding requires packing the car. So when Alex did not want to remove her training wheels it was hard to push the issue. And of course the more we let it go, the more entrenched her paranoia became.
Every time they grew out of a bike, we would buy the next size up, with the hopes that Alex, especially, would eventually take that plunge (as a kindergartner, Sammy did not seem to be especially late on this issue). Well, now I know the secret to convincing her (and I should have guessed because this is not the only thing that has gone like this). We got them new bikes today, and the training wheels were not yet on them. Sammy decided she was riding that bike with or without the training wheels (Alex was not home at the time). When Alex got home and learned that Sammy was riding her bike without the training wheels, well, her expression was priceless. There is no motivator like sibling rivalry, or, maybe more accurately in this case, the fear that your sibling is going to go off and do stuff (like ride her bike) without you.
Now I have 2 bike riding kids! Just like that.
Now I said there were no motivators like sibling rivalry, but for me these cookies would be pretty good motivation (not Alex though–bribery alone was not getting her to take that plunge). They started as an experiment–but one that was a stunning success. I saw this PB2 powdered peanut butter the other day and bought both the plain and the chocolate, and figured I would play with them and see what struck me. In the meantime, I had pinned this chocolate cookie recipe from eat drink love, with the idea of substituting chocolate peanut butter for the Nutella, which I detest. So these were my starting places…
Interestingly, these cookies did not taste super peanutty–and I am happy with that. They instead tasted like really fabulous, rich, chewy, thick double chocolate chip cookies. And while I do not make any promises or claims that I have worked it out mathematically, I think they must be healthier from the use of the PB2 (which removes 85% of the fat calories from peanut butter). But if you really want more of a peanut taste, I recommend subbing in some peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips, and maybe adding chopped peanuts as well. Either way, make these. You will not be sorry.
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 1 T honey
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup PB2 powdered peanut butter with chocolate
- 2 1/2 cups (315 g) AP flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, I subbed 1 T with double Dutch cocoa for color but is not necessary
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (to increase the peanut flavor, substitute in some peanut butter chips and/or add some chopped salted and roasted peanuts)
- vanilla salt for sprinkling on the cookie dough
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Whisk together the PB2 powdered peanut butter with chocolate, flour, natural cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
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Beat the butter until creamy. Add the sour cream and honey and beat it in.
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Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
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Gently stir in the flour mixture until it is mostly incorporated. Add the chocolate chips (or mix of chips and chopped peanuts or peanut butter chips) and mix until completely incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
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When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. I liked these cookies best in scant 1/4-cup scoops, 6 to a cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie dough mound and sprinkle with vanilla salt.
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Bake for 11-12 minutes, until both set and cracked. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
As always…
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I was the last of my siblings and close-in-age cousins to ride without training wheels…and I was 9. So yeah, it didn’t motivate me very much! But these cookies probably would have. I love anything with chocolate and peanut butter!
These cookies sound awesome, I would love to try, but I have never seen powered P.B. where do you find it?
I found it at Jungle Jim’s, which is a local smorgasbord of a store. I wonder if Whole Foods might carry it though? Or Trader Joe’s? Or any high end grocery store, in the natural section (I don’t think it is organic exactly, but I think it comes close). It is also available by mail order at their site (find the link above), and I believe Amazon has it as well. Let me know what you think if you find it!
I really want to try PB2, it sounds like an amazing product! Pretty sure that it’s not sold here in Australia though. Hm, I might have to try mail-order online? Your cookies look amazing. So yum. How good is it to be able to get creamy pb flavour without the fat?! Woop! 🙂
Interesting! I’ve had PB2 sitting in my pantry for awhile and no clue what to do with it. This is great!
These cookies look so yummy!!
My son just turned 5 a month ago, we are in no great hurry to try taking away the training wheels just yet!
Excellent post and a excellent recipe shared . Hope it tasted as it looks.
I’ve never heard of PB2, but now I want to try it!
what a fun ingredient find! i can’t think of a better way to test it out, and your cookies look magnificent.
Three expert cookie eaters vote YAY! for these cookies! and the glass of milk is a necessary addition
OMG!!… can’t take my eyes from your pictures.. Looks absolutely tempting.. AMAZING!!
Funny… I’ve never heard of PB2, and today I’ve heard of it twice!! I have a girlfriend who says she adores it, and now your recipe. LOVE these cookies! I think I need to learn more about this wonder PB stuff!
I love using PB2 since it cuts out a lot of the fat and when I am enjoying desserts I was as little as possible. I also wich they had almond2 Can’t wait to make these cookies!
These look absolutely fantastic. I’m thinking a total must make for myself… Oh yea and the kids LOL thanks for sharing!!
PB2 is the bomb! I make smoothies and oatmeal with it almost daily. Can’t wait to try these cookies!
There is truly nothing like sibling rivalry. These cookies!! Beautiful. I use pb2 in smoothies, and have been toying with the idea of using them in cookies. Now I have a starting point!
These cookies look delicious! I’ve never added sour cream to cookies before… I’ve also never heard of powdered PB! Need to check that out :).
Intriguing. My favorite Blue Star doughnut is covered with peanut butter powder. I’ve been wondering where to get it. now I know. 🙂 These cookies look fantastic!