Y’all, wedding week is here! We’re so excited. Our niece, Elizabeth, and her fiancé, Jinal, are getting married this weekend here in Fort Lauderdale in our family church, the glorious Saint Anthony. The rehearsal dinner is at my little sister’s house and to make it easy for everyone Elizabeth has chosen to have a taco truck replete with chips and salsas, nachos, guacamole, and all manner of handmade tacos ranging from vegetable to fish. We’ll have gorgeous, old brass tubs filled with beer and wine iced down as well as waters and soft drinks. We’re so pleased all our orchids are in bloom, most of them were given to us over the years from Mom’s and Dad’s collection so their presence will be most definitely be felt. Flower beds have been mulched and lighting is up. Table linens have been pressed, outfits and jewels set aside. We. Are. Ready. A light dessert has been planned by me and I can’t wait. I’ll be serving the Mexican Dark Chocolate Pudding Shots, (posted a month or two back), and these amazing, not too salty-not too sweet, peanut butter and toffee cookies. Y’all. I have been so good. So dang good. There are stacks and stacks of these scrumptious, giant, chewy cookies singing to me from the kitchen but I’ve got a dress to get into and, by gosh, I’ma get into it and look goooood. Now, AFTER the wedding, I might just sit down and have me a couple of cookies with an almond milk chaser. Be kind, y’all!
These easy cookies can be made ahead and chilled or frozen up to 3-4 weeks. To freeze them properly they must completely cool, layered in between parchment paper and stored in labeled gallon freezer bags. When you’re ready to serve them take them out of the storage bags and allow them to thaw on the counter. If you like, they can be warmed in a very low oven (250°-275°) for about 10-15 minutes for that just-out-of-the-oven taste. If they thaw in the freezer bags or containers condensation will form and they’ll get all soggy. The dough needs to chill for at least an hour but the good news is it can chill in your fridge for a day or two. I use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough, one which holds not quite 1/3 of a cup, and I put it in the refrigerator with the cookie dough to chill. After rolling the dough into balls they can also be given a quick swirl through granulated sugar or colored sugar if you wish. My grocery store had a Peter Pan peanut butter bogo so that is the peanut butter I used. Keep an eye on these cookies while they’re baking and DO NOT over bake. As soon as you see the bottom edge browning take them out of the oven. They’ll be really soft and almost undercooked but I promise they’ll set up on the baking sheet as they cool guaranteeing a soft and chewy cookie. Last of all, make certain the cookies are completely cooled prior to serving them or they’ll fall apart on your spatula as you take them off the baking sheet.
Chewy Coffee House Peanut Butter & Toffee Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Heath English Toffee Bits
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a medium size bowl mix well the flour, confectioner’s sugar, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Mix until completely combined, add toffee chips, stir throughout and set aside.
- In a large bowl cream butter until light and fluffy.
- Add brown sugar and sugar and beat until combined.
- Add the peanut butter, eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- To the flour mixture add the toffee chips and mix well.
- Pour the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture and mix by hand until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate until completely chilled.
- Pre-heat oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick silicone baking sheets.
- Using an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop out even amounts of dough to cover one baking sheet, placing the dough about 2-inches apart. Return bowl of dough to refrigerator until ready to bake second sheet.
- Take each mound of dough on baking sheet and roll into balls. Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten each ball to 3/4 to 1/2-inch thickness.
- If decorating with sugar, dip top of cookie in sugar or sprinkle the tops of the cookies on the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes if you are using parchment paper. If using silicone baking sheets, bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place baking sheet on cooling rack. Leave cookies on baking sheet until completely cool.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
What a fun weekend! You have far more self control than I do if you’re able to resist these cookies!!