We buy peanut butter in bulk. From *gasp* Costco. It’s big, organic, affordable and delicious but it is one heck of a thing to mix up owing to its natural status.

One of our sweet friends who works in a wood shop had taken a jar in to work to shake on the paint mixer for us. That worked beautifully but unfortunately sometimes there is a toddler who just must have peanut butter this moment, the new jar must be opened and therefore must be painfully and messily stirred by a helpful parent.

We try our best to mix well but every time we get to the bottom of one of these jars there is hard dry peanut butter which doesn’t make the most appetizing (or willing) spread for our fresh (ie. soft) bread. This is when I remember to make a batch of peanut butter cookies – although after baking them this time I’m going to remind myself that these are just about my favourite cookie ever and deserve baking more often.

They are soft, chewy, not too sweet and reminiscent of a favourite cookie from my childhood…

…I just talked myself into nabbing one from the kitchen.

Gather this line up.

Hello, friend.

I give it a whip round in my mixer with the paddle attachment but a wooden spoon would work fine.

Add in the sugars and cream until fluffy and smooth – I had many willing helpers.

Add the peanut butter.

You may feel it couldn’t get any better than this…but keep going, it gets better.

Add in the eggs and vanilla – mix until combined.

Add in the salt and baking soda…

…the whole wheat flour…

…and quite possibly my favourite ingredient in these cookies – the oats.

Once you’ve mixed them together you are ready for this. I pull out my handy ice cream scoop but a spoon would work as well – and, of course, that little crumb was sampled.

I use the scoop to measure them more evenly but they do need to be balled and flattened before baking.

Bake until they are just beginning to brown and still soft.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I make mine on the small size – better for little snackers – and get nearly three dozen out of a batch.

1/2 butter

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cups natural peanut butter

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oats

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Stir in peanut butter until mixture is uniform. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add salt, soda, flour and oats to the mixture and mix until combined. Scoop out desired size, roll into balls and flatten onto baking sheets with a fork or the palm of your hand. Bake until cookies are just beginning to brown, are no longer glossy but are still soft – 12 to 13 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Cookies: 1 / Willpower: 0

That three dozen seems to disappear pretty quickly around here – ahem, I knew Dan didn’t mind the oats.

A few of you asked about the treats Liam was scooping out in this post so I thought I would share this most simple and delicious recipe.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with it already but whether the recipe is new to you or not it bears repeating. These are one of my favourite goodies to throw together during the warmer months. They take practically no time at all to prepare and the kids love to help out with them.

These aren’t rocket science rather they are a nothing fancy, no frills kind of dessert which never cease to please me…I’d say the only downside is my total lack of self-control around these little nuggets. I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar before breakfast more times than I can count (one more reason this pregnancy thing is working in my favour).

I’m not sure what their official name is – I’ve heard many different titles applied since I first enjoyed them during my childhood. Call them what you will – haystacks, chocolate macaroons, mudpies or frogs I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Here’s what you need for them. These are staples in my house – I hope, for your sake, that they are in yours also.

In a medium sized pot start the butter melting.

Whisk in the cocoa. These two are meant to be together.

Once the butter is melted pour in the milk and sugar. Whisk together and bring to a boil for two minutes. All of my pictures of this step are too blurry – probably because I just couldn’t wait to get to the sampling part of this recipe.

Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the oats, salt and coconut, and stir.

Mmm.

I like to scoop them out onto a baking sheet covered with wax paper (the baking sheet makes them more easily moved from fingers that just can’t wait until they’ve cooled – like mine). They can be lumped onto the wax paper with an ice cream scoop, spoon or fingers. I use ice cream scoops for bite-sized and late-afternoon-mama-needs-a-pick-me-up-sized macaroons.

Don’t worry about pressing them together too much – as they cool they will harden.

Little hands love this job. It’s messy and fingers will need licking.

Let them cool or sample them warm.

No Rocket Science Macaroons

1/2 cup butter

6 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

1 cup shredded coconut (I use sweetened because I’ve already cut the sugar down from the original recipe)

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the cocoa. Whisk in the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt, oats and coconut. Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper. Allow to cool and harden before storing in a sealed container.

Do you remember these from your childhood? Have you tried any variations?