Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy President's Day!  When I think of President's Day I think of America.  I feel like I should wear red, white, and blue to show my support for President's Day.  Ridiculous... probably, but such it is in my mind.

According to my mother, there isn't anything more American than dark chocolate.  I'm sure she has no references for such a statement, but she feels quite passionate about this topic.  My mother thinks all normal and good people should love dark chocolate.  Personally, I don't love or hate dark chocolate... I'm a lover of all chocolate types.   

These Dark Chocolate Trifecta Cookies aka Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are for the dark chocolate lovers in your life.

My mother and my grandfather (whom I send cookies to regularly b/c he is my best cookie critic) are my dark chocolate lovers.

Just last week for Valentine's Day I sent them both some of these Trifecta Cookies with a Dark Side... aka cookies with dark chocolate goodness.  To say they loved the cookies is an understatement.  Honestly, I can't recall how many times they told me these cookies were "Soooo Good!"

    

 A couple of months ago I came across Peanut Butter & Co, Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter.  Which I'm sure is way late in the game for your fancy peanut butter fans.  I did learn you can find this peanut butter at many normal grocery stores as well as fancy ones (b/c the ingredients are all normal words I can understand and therefore fit the fancy type of stores ), but the best prices for this pb I found at the Kroger chain.  No this is not endorsed in anyway... just letting y'all know best deals b/c we all have budgets to live by.  

After seeing this peanut butter, I decided a dark chocolate version of the Trifecta cookies that I love was necessary for the dark chocolate lovers in my life.

Dark Chocolate Trifecta Cookies

aka Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Active Time: About 45 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 3-4 Dozen

Ingredients: 

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter (softened) 
1 c. Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. rolled oats
1 bag (11.5 oz) extra dark chocolate chips

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Line baking sheets with baking pads (or parchment paper). 
2. In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer on low to medium speed cream the butter, dark chocolate peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.  Mix well the vanilla and eggs one at a time.
3. Add in order the flour, baking soda, and salt on top of the creamed dough.  On low speed mix the flour and creamed dough until just combined.
4. Finally, on low speed add the oats and then the chocolate chips.  
5. Using a medium scoop (about 1 1/2 Tbsp) drop dough on baking sheets and then push the dough ball down a bit.  The cookies keep their shape, so you want to push the dough down to avoid a ball type cookie. 
6. Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

Enjoy your dark chocolate and everything delicious cookie goodness!