Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chippers

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies Loaded with Peanut Butter Chips

This is a oatmeal cookie that runs warm and nutty rather than just sweet. The classic combination of butter, sugar, and quick oats gets a quiet boost from cinnamon and nutmeg in the dough, plus toasty pecans folded in. Then peanut butter chips finish it off, melting just enough during baking to leave creamy pockets in every bite.

The quick oats are intentional. Old-fashioned rolled oats work but make a heartier, chewier cookie, while quick oats blend more seamlessly into the dough and give a softer texture overall. The result is a cookie that’s tender at first bite and chewy through the center.

The water in the dough is the secret to keeping these cookies from spreading too thin. A quarter cup of water hydrates the oats just enough to bake into bubbled, slightly puffed rounds rather than flat, crisp wafers. Skip the water and the cookies turn to lace.

Pro Tips

• Cream the butter and sugar at least 3 minutes until truly pale and fluffy. Underbeating gives a denser, less tender cookie.
• Use room-temperature eggs so they incorporate smoothly into the creamed mixture.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls and leave 2 inches between cookies. They spread modestly but need breathing room.
• Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack. Hot cookies break apart when moved.

Variations

• Swap the peanut butter chips for chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, or white chocolate chips.
• Use crunchy peanut butter chips and add 1 cup of raisins for a peanut-butter-and-jelly twist.
• Skip the pecans and stir in 1 cup of coconut flakes for a tropical lean.