Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

I have a love-hate relationship with baking. I'm a dessert addict and I love being in the kitchen, so naturally the outcome of my baking endeavors is always a sweet reward for the effort put forth. But I lack the patience that baking so often requires - I hate measuring ingredients, washing 25 different bowls, cups and measuring spoons, and rechecking recipes 12 times to make sure I didn't make a mistake. That's why I love simple desserts like these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, which combine my three favorite types of cookies into one delicious creation.

These cookies are packed with healthy ingredients like peanut butter and rolled oats, so I didn't feel guilty letting my 18-month-old nibble on them at snack time. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of chocolate chips used to suit your tastes; I tossed in just a handful or two, but next time around I'll use more (note that the recipe shown calls for more chocolate chips than I used in the cookies in the photo). My theory is that more chocolate is never, ever a bad thing!


Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites Recipe
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.


Ingredients


1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy, but crunchy works too)
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup mini chocolate chips


Instructions


Preheat oven to 350 deegrees F.

Combine the shortening, softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar and peanut butter in a large bowl until creamy and well blended. Add the egg and beat into the mixture. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, then stir into the wet dough until evenly combined.

Add the rolled oats and chocolate chips to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of dough and drop onto ungreased baking sheets (I like to line mine with parchment paper).

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned.