Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunkers

Peanut butter cookies are one of my husband's favorites. He prefers them plain, but I love to add chocolate chips for what I consider to be the perfect combination.

This is my recipe, based on several recipes and years of trial and error.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunkers

2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 dash cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups smooth or crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup salted butter, slightly softened
1/4 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon Lyle’s golden syrup or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips (for these I used Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet)
Extra sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cookie sheet for baking.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cream peanut butter, butter, shortening, and sugars until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, syrup or milk, and extracts; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Stir in chunks or chips.

This is how I shape my cookies: take a heaping tablespoon of dough, lightly shape into ball, roll in sugar, and place on prepared baking sheet. Press ball very gently and sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size, or until light golden brown. To keep them chewy, don’t allow too much browning. Let cool on pan 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack.