This week we lost our family dog. Well really, my parents lost their dog. Picture a big golden retriever mix with a big nose, little patches of white on his neck, toes and nose and round brown eyes. That’s Beckett.
Beckett was quite strong willed. For example, no matter how hard my parents tried (my mom even took him for proper training) he would always bark and jump when someone came to the door. He was simply too excited to contain himself; he just loved people!
As much as he loved people, and dirt (he would lay in a dirt pile all day long in the back yard, much to my parents chagrin), Beckett also loved ‘people food’ of any kind and found a willing participant in my dad. It was essentially like having another guest whenever we had family meals because Beckett was always there under the table, despite my mom’s scolding, waiting to get his share.
One particular type of morsel which Beckett coveted was anything related to peanut butter. My dad would use a little scoop of peanut butter to give him his pills when he was dealing with some ailment and for a long time I remember he had peanut butter flavored treats! There was even a special jar of peanut butter marked DOG in the fridge that we were not suppose to have … it was just for Beckett.
: : :
It’s always so damn heartbreaking to lose a pet and I have been feeling a very sad heart this week. Of course that means baking and certainly whatever was going to come out of the oven had to have peanut butter in it, for Beck Beck (as we liked to call him).
In my head I would like to make Beckett and I a batch of these (without the chocolate of course) and sit on the floor together one last time while he gobbled them down. These cookies are simple, soothing, nostalgic and comforting all at the same time. Never underestimate the power of peanut butter. Sweet Beck Beck, these are for you.
Beckett’s Peanut Butter Cookies
6-1/4 ounces of peanut butter (unsweetened, softened)
2 ounces unsalted butter (softened)
1 tablespoon honey
3-1/2 ounces natural cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs (room temperature)
3-3/4 ounces rolled oats (ground in the food processor for 30 seconds)
5-1/4 ounces rolled oats
6 ounces chocolate chips
Oven: 350ºF / 180ºC
Parchment paper two cookie sheets, no need for greasing.
Cream peanut butter, butter, honey, sugar, vanilla, salt and baking soda in a mixer until very light and fluffy (about 2 or 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down once). Beat in eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Fold in ground oats, oats and chocolate chips. Don’t over-mix the batter. Drop onto the cookie sheets one heaping teaspoon at a time. Bake for 11-12 minutes (rotating the sheet mid-way through) until you just start to see some browning on the edges. Don’t let them get too brown or they will not have the soft middles; better to under-bake. Let the cookies cool on the pans and enjoy!
Notes: I tend to use a scale when doing cakes/cookies so I have this recipe in ounces only. It’s easy to go online and convert it to cups so don’t let the ounces scare you away! Or of course you could pick up a scale … I swear by mine. Also you can add more sugar (try brown sugar if you like) and chocolate to this recipe easily so if you tend to like sweet cookies just go for it. As the recipe is now, these are not very sweet at all.