Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are made with the peanut butter lover in mind.  Heavily loaded with peanut flavour by means of peanut butter, chopped peanuts, and a copious amount of Reese’s Pieces, this cookie is sure to please the peanut butter kid in all of us!

We love having our friends over, and it’s evident that they appreciate the effort that I put into being a good host, but I can’t shake the need to impress whenever possible.  One evening, I decided to put together a little candy and popcorn bar.  When the evening was over, I packed up a few boxes of my homemade moose munch, butter salt popcorn, and various candies for them to take home.  However, just like every single time we host an evening in, we were left with so many leftovers, which is how these Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies came to be!

I had this wonderful idea to invite some friends over for a card game. Of course, my inner domestic diva took full control of my every fibre, and I started to fret over what I was going to serve for munchies.  John.e is constantly and forever reminding me that I get myself all worked up whenever we have company coming.  The amount of prep that I do, not only physically, but mentally as well, is overwhelming. 

HOW THE SPIRAL COMMENCES

I cannot count how many times I have heard the same lecture from John.e about my need to impress.  It’s a serious issue, and I have no idea where it stems from.  Whenever we have company coming, I go on a cleaning rampage and take everyone on that spiralling trip with me.  Even though we already keep a very clean home, in my mind it’s never clean enough the way it is.

So, for example, if we have company coming on a Saturday evening, the whole of Saturday is spent at home getting things prepared.  The bathroom must be re-cleaned from top to bottom.  The kitchen – like every square inch of it – must be scoured and cleaned.  Then, there’s the dusting, the vacuuming, the moping, and the polishing.  Windex and PineSol become my immediate friends.

Dusting is crucial.  My mom used to have a friend that once admitted to her that whenever she visited with her friends, she would purposely ask to use the washroom.  Once inside the washroom, she would rub her finger gently across the top of the washroom door’s facing.  If there was dust up there, she knew her friend didn’t keep a very clean house.  Ever since my mom told me that story, I have been very rigid when it comes to dusting more than just visible surfaces.  This woman has never been in our home, and probably never will be, but why take the chance?

COMPANY AND FAMILY ALIKE

I remember once my mom and dad were coming to visit on a Saturday morning.  They were coming to Toronto to spend the day with us.  Well, before I could scan our apartment to see if everything was up to my standards, they were knocking at the door.  Imagine my panic!?  You see, even when family comes to visit, the extreme need to have a spotless home is still present.

John.e ended up answering the door and before my parents could even say hi, he told them to not make mention of anything that was out of place or not clean enough.  You see, he knew that my mom was the same way.  She cleaned every single day without fail.  Like, every single day!

Once, when I was about ten years old or so – give or take a year – I was laying on the couch and reading a book in the living room of our family home.  My mom came into the room and asked me to go read in my bedroom, because – and I quote – “Reading makes the house look untidy.”  So, I wonder why I’m so strict with everything being in its place!?

Now that I’ve written all this, I hope none of our friends read it.   I don’t want them to think that their visit is not wanted or appreciated.  We love having company over, truly!

REESE’S PIECES PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

I have to stop talking about my faults and get back to this cookie recipe.  Like everyone, I suppose, I have a basic cookie recipe that I go for most of my cookie endeavours.  I usually just modify the taste and texture of the cookie by switching ingredients in and out whenever warranted. 

This recipe is very similar to my chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I did make some minor adjustments.  I knew that adding the Reese’s Pieces was going to give my cookie a sweeter taste, but also, there would be extra peanut butter flavour.  I adjusted by reducing the amount of peanut butter I would normally use in a cookie recipe so that the peanut butter flavour would still be prevalent, but not so much that the cookie wouldn’t hold together during the baking process.    

This is a great cookie recipe to get your kids involved with – especially if your kid is free of peanut allergies.  If that’s the case, just switch out the peanut butter with soy nut butter, or any nut butter, really.  You could also use Nutella, but that will change the colour of your cookie.  The Reese’s Pieces can be easily exchanged with milk chocolate M&Ms or in you’re in Canada, milk chocolate Smarties!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Unsalted Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Sugar – Sugar will caramelize when baked, which will help to brown the cookies, it will also help the dough to spread and create a crispness to the bottom of the cookie.
• Brown Sugar – First of all, it has way more flavour than regular white sugar! And, in this recipe, brown sugar helps to keep the cookie moist and soft.
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Vanilla Extract – Probably the most common extract and the most common flavouring used in cakes and cookies.
• Peanut Butter – I have not tested this recipe with natural peanut butter. You can use smooth or crunchy peanut butter.
• Baking Soda – Activated by a liquid, it’s an acid to help with leavening or rising. 
• Salt – In baking it helps to enhance and balance sweetness. 
• Oats – Use quick oats.
• Reese’s Pieces
• Chopped Salted Peanuts – These are optional, but I love the crunch of the salted peanut bits in contrast to the crispiness of the rice cereal.

HOW TO MAKE THESE COOKIES

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Once completely incorporated, add the egg, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix well to combine.

Next, add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in the oatmeal, Reese’s Pieces, and chopped peanuts, if using. Roll the cookie dough into golf-sized balls and place them onto a lined baking sheet.  Position the dough evenly on your cookie sheet.  Be sure to leave room for growth.

Place in the oven and bake for 13 minutes. Allow the cookie to cool for two minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack for the remainder of the cooling process.

LET’S TALK PEANUT BUTTER!

Before you are tempted to send me an email or a comment knocking my choice of peanut butter that is not natural and organic, hear me out! This recipe has not been tested with natural peanut butter. I repeat, this recipe has not been tested with natural peanut butter. To be honest, because natural peanut butter is very thin, I don’t think it will work. There, I said it. Now, if you go ahead and make this recipe using natural peanut butter and it turns out to be a big, wet mess, you cannot blame me.

John.e uses only natural peanut butter, but I do not. I do not like it at all. Yes, it’s healthier and better for me, but I’d rather not eat it at all if I have to choose the natural stuff. I grew up on Kraft or Jiffy peanut butter and it’s the only peanut butter I ever use.

For these Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, you should use smooth or crunchy peanut butter. If you are completely against using non-natural peanut butter, as harsh as it may sound, this recipe is most certainly not for you.

OPTIONAL CHOPPED PEANUTS

When it comes to peanuts, you can use raw, natural peanuts. I happen to think that the roasted peanuts have more flavour. You can always toast your raw peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat if you wish. I prefer to use salted peanuts. The salted peanuts really help to offset the sweetness and add another layer of flavour. If you prefer, Trader Joe’s has a roasted, 50% salted peanut that is absolutely phenomenal!

To roast (or toast) your peanuts, add the to a cold, stainless steel frying pan. I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you buy the same cookware set, but I wanted you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results will plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting nuts. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner. Keep the nuts moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The nuts will take on a slightly golden colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

Here’s proof that John.e enjoyed the cookie.  I made him an extra special monster-sized cookie!