Peanut Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

It is doubtful that anyone cares that we have had a onslaught of cookie and baked good posts as of late. Maybe it is the weather? The temperatures have been cool and pleasant, making it perfect for turning on the oven. Actually the weather has little influence on my turning the oven or not. It actually may get  more use during the summer.

If you feel like you can't do or have something, it just makes you want to do it more. We all know this feeling right? Good thing there is air conditioning for when I realize what an awful idea it was to bake. Air conditioning is up there on my favorite inventions ever list. Honestly, I don't know what I would do with out.

Enough about the downfalls of baking in the heat of summer. These cookies are awesome. I went to visit my grandma this weekend and made these for her. She LOVES bacon, peanut butter and chocolate. After I said "peanut butter, bacon, chocolate chip cookies", she immediately scurried across the kitchen and hid them in a cupboard from grandpa.

I would also like to think that these cookies are the perfect man bait. Most men apparently don't like sweets, but can they really stand by that when bacon is involved? Doubtful. Really they shouldn't care at all what is in the cookie. They should just be happy that a pretty lady cares enough to make them cookies.

Honestly anyone who loves bacon should think these cookies are the best. The bacon can be omitted, if you must. Although the bacon flavor was not overwhelming. It was more like pleasant background music. I was surprised by how moist this cookie turned out too. No flour had me worried, I am skeptical of gluten free. The very best part, besides being the best peanut butter cookies ever, they are the easiest/simplest cookies ever. Almost everything should be in your pantry, which means you better get working!

xo
April

Ingredients:
8 slices of bacon
1 cup all natural peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar, plus some to roll the dough in
2 teaspoons molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Fry the bacon in a pan over medium-high heat, until cooked through and crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan onto paper towel to drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the peanut butter, sugar and molasses until thoroughly combined, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and baking soda and mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F.
5. With the mixer on low speed, add the chopped peanuts, bacon and chocolate chips to the mixer, until just combined. Roll the dough into large walnut-sized balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on a lined cookie sheet, and use a fork to make the distinctive peanut butter cookie crisscross pattern. If the dough sticks to the fork, dip it in sugar before pressing into the cookies. The dough will be a little crumbly, just press together with your fingers as necessary. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be crumbly and delicious. Cookies will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Joy The Baker Cookbook