Weekend Treat: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

This time of year, everyone is searching for a new, exciting cookie recipe.  For a birthday party last night, I whipped up a batch of these from Bon Appetit.  The birthday boy (37 years old!) gobbled down 7 of them.  Four of us managed to eat the entire batch.  Yup, Bon Appetit never lets me down.

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup natural no-stir crunchy (or chunky) peanut butter
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 2.1-ounce Butterfinger candy bar, chopped (scant 1/2 cup) 

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and reheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and brown sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then flour mixture (dough will look crumbly). Stir in bittersweet chocolate chips and chopped Butterfinger candy.

Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl. Using 1 1/2 tablespoons dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms to form balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Using bottom of glass or measuring cup, press cookies into 1/3-inch-thick rounds.

Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 15 to 16 minutes, reversing sheets halfway through cooking time for even baking. Transfer parchment paper with cookies to rack and cool.