These cookies are about knowing what’s right. Knowing that peanut butter and oatmeal and Nutella go so well together. It’s a no brainer. Knowing that I can create my own recipe and it will work because I’ve baked cookies dozens of times now and I understand the ingredients. Knowing when it’s the right time to get in the kitchen and get flour on the floor and on my face because it will just make me feel better. Knowing that it’s ok to make a whole batch of cookies solely as a vehicle for the big scoop of Nutella I want to eat with a spoon. Not knowing what’s the deal with the people I’m sharing them with, but knowing that sharing cookies with them will bring us together. And that’s worth making cookies for.
The point is, I’m starting to know. Recognizing that gut feeling. Figuring it out. Doing something with it. Even if that gut feeling is just about Nutella. That feels like growth to me. And what better way to grow than with awesome cookies in your pocket.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches with Nutella
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Nutella
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, oats baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter with the sugars. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well until combined. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients until dough comes together.
- Form small balls of dough all about the same size and roll them into balls. Place them about two inches apart on the baking sheets and press down on them a little to flatten.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, sandwich two cookies together with Nutella. and repeat.
I have so much energy and I’m exhausted at the same time. Which is why I randomly baked 60 of these chocolate chip, pecan, oatmeal cookies the other night. I typically have a pretty early bedtime, but I found myself starting to play around with random ingredients in my pantry and make these little guys around midnight. Maybe it was daylight savings messing with me. Maybe I’ve been itching to get creative in the kitchen. Maybe I wanted a few more hours in the day to listen to 
Who doesn’t love an oatmeal cream pie? I mean really. I think it’s the definition of a comfort snack. We ate pretty healthy foods growing up – balanced meals and processed foods in moderation. When I was in 4th and 5th grade my younger brother and I would go to our neighbor’s house after school until our parents got home from work. One of the perks of this situation is that Mrs. Fritz always had Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies stocked in her pantry. It was one of those things that I had never had before and I never ate anywhere else. As soon as we dropped our backpacks, we headed toward the pies. I even loved the crinkling sound of opening its plastic wrapper. It was the perfect individual afternoon treat – sweet and nutty, with a little taste of rebellion.
