Peanut butter choc-chip cookies

As we all know these days allergies are everywhere. Most primary schools in our state have a nut-ban for the very simple reason that for the one or two kids at the school with a severe allergy that exposure to nuts is a matter of life or death. No one wants their snacks to send another child to hospital.

Of course if you like to bake this eliminates quite a lot of popular foods. Now of course with so many children being gluten free and almond meal being used as a substitute for flour in lots of their recipes well it does kind of make your head spin.

Right now it is school holidays which is good news for my husband who LOVES nuts. So that he and my daughter can have the same snacks in their lunch I leave nuts out of lots of my recipes during the term much to his dismay. This vacation we have no plans to catch-up with any kids with a nut tolerance so today I made Peanut butter choc-chip cookies.

Having just had a couple he declares them "the best cookies you have made in a long time."

Peanut Butter choc-chip cookies (makes 24 cookies)
1 cup peanut butter
125g butter (room temperature)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/3 cups plain flour   
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts (I used salted)
1/3 cup choc chips

Optional 100g dark cooking chocolate.

1. Prehat oven to 180C and line 2 trays with baking paper.
2. Beat peanut butter and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat till combines. Beat in the egg until incorporated.
3. Sift together flour and baking powder and add with nuts and choc chips. (You could freeze dough or 1/2 the dough at this point).
4. Roll tablespoons full and place on tray about 4cm apart. Flatten into small discs.
5. Bake in oven for about 12 monutes. Let sit 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.They will harden a little when cooled but still be soft in the centre.

Optional: Melt dark chocolate and drizzle over cookies when cooled.