Best-ever Skippy Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Yield: around 6 dozen

Description
Rich, chunky, nutty, chocolaty. Need I say more?

Ingredients

 * 2 cups quick oats
 * 1¼ cups flour
 * 1 tsp baking powder
 * 1 tsp baking soda
 * ¼ tsp salt
 * 1 cup butter
 * 1 cup chunky peanut butter (Skippy® is preferable...hence the name!)
 * 1 cup sugar
 * 1 cup brown sugar
 * 2 eggs
 * 1 tsp vanilla
 * 12 oz bag M&Ms (can use holiday M&Ms or regular ones, but make sure they're the plain type)

Directions

 * 1) In a large mixing bowl (using a stand mixer), beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth.
 * 2) Add the sugars and blend well.
 * 3) Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
 * 4) Add the dry ingredients and mix very well.
 * 5) Note that even using a stand mixer, it will have a hard time blending at this point.
 * 6) The dough is very thick and heavy.
 * 7) You may have to finish mixing in the M&Ms by hand.
 * 8) Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
 * 9) Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Note
If you're looking to be a bit more conscious about your ingestion of trans fats, then you might try using organic (natural) peanut butter. Smuckers produces a line of both chunky and smooth natural peanut butters. Just be aware that you need to stir up these types of peanut butters before using them, as the natural oils settle on top. With the natural peanut butters, the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. There are NO added partially hydrogenated oils like there are in just about every manufactured peanut butter. There is also no added sugar in natural peanut butter.