Toffee & Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)

I made these cookies a couple weeks ago, during yet ANOTHER snowstorm. It was coming down, all gross, and I was fed. up! I seriously....this winter. I can't even handle it. Every time I think "maybe it's done." another snowstorm hits! It makes it SO difficult to get anything done in NYC (laundry when there's snow on the ground? Not happening.) So, I was feeling quite cranky. So, what could I do?

Make cookies. Obviously.

Cookies make every day better, in my opinion. And these TOTALLY did perk me up! Now, one thing to remember when whipping this delicious (one bowl) recipe up--they do need chilled. For at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days. Now, I knew snow was coming, so I made these the night before the storm, so the dough was good to go when I awoke the next morning to just....way too much icy white stuff. It was actually sort of nice that the dough was already ready, I just looked outside, got cranky, then began preheating the oven. Next thing I knew I had cookies!

Mmmmm cookies. Cookies that are just a little bit crisp, but mostly soft and cheeewwwyyyy and gooey in the centers. Cookies FULL of peanut butter flavor (no flour=less to take away from that peanut buttery goodness), with crunchy little bites of toffee, and gooey wonderful bites of rich milk chocolate. Ahh these cookies. Delightful when they are warm from the oven, and matured and complex and perfect at room temperature. 

Now, these cookies you see in my pictures might be a little more brown than yours will be. You see, you're not supposed to use homemade or natural pb in these, it doesn't make for the best texture. And I happened to have a bunch of PB & Co peanut butters hanging around. So...I sort of frankenstein'd it up and used a mix  of honey peanut butter, white chocolate peanut butter, and dark chocolate peanut butter (and that is to blame for the slightly darker color). I would've just used regular peanut butter but hey, either way...DELISH.

And let's not forget that these perfect little treats are gluten free, and I know A TON of people who are off that gluten but cravinggg sweets. Friends, never fear-THESE COOKIES ARE HERE!

Toffee & Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)

From Averie Cooks

Makes 12-16 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy (NOT natural or homemade) peanut butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup toffee bits
• 1/2  cup milk chocolate chips (alternately, you could just use an 8 oz. bag of chocolate covered toffee bits instead of the toffee bits + chocolate chips)

Preparation:

• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is not grainy (this will take 5-8 minutes probably). Scrape sides of the bowl as needed. This mixture will seem oily.
• Beat in the baking soda for about a minute, until fully combined.
• Mix/beat in the toffee/chocolate chips.
• Using a medium/2 in. cookie scoop, scoop 2-3 tbsp. mounds of cookie dough and place on a large plate or cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Place chilled cookie dough mounds on sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart (I had about 8 cookies on a sheet, and did 2 batches--keep the rest of the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them).
• Bake for 8 minutes, until just barely set. May seem a little underbaked but they will firm up as they cool. Cool on sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to complete cooling.
• Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature or you can freeze cookies for up to 4 months. (You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough for up to 4 months).

Instant happiness right there. Fresh outta the oven.