Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

11 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Whisk Dry Ingredients

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until they're thoroughly combined.
2. 02

   Cream Wet Ingredients

   Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks noticeably lighter in color and fluffy.
3. 03

   Add Egg

   Add the egg to the creamed mixture. Beat until it's just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
4. 04

   Mix in Flour

   Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the whisked flour mixture, mixing until it's just combined. Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks disappear to avoid overdeveloping the gluten.
5. 05

   Fold in Oats and Chips

   With a large spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in the rolled oats, then the chocolate chips, until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. 06

   Chill Dough

   Cover the dough tightly and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. This rest time is crucial; it allows the flavors to deepen and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too flat in the oven.
7. 07

   Prep Oven and Sheets

   Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper; this keeps the bottoms from sticking and helps with even browning.
8. 08

   Scoop Dough

   Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to portion the dough, dropping mounds onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie for spreading.
9. 09

   Sprinkle with Salt

   Lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top of each cookie dough ball just before baking. This helps to balance the sweetness.
10. 10

    Bake Cookies

    Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look just set, perhaps still a little soft in the middle. They'll firm up as they cool.
11. 11

    Cool and Store

    Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet; they're delicate when warm. Once cool, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature.