Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

A couple weeks ago, I was wasting time on allrecipes.com and came across a new (to me) peanut butter cookie recipe. To be honest, I don't know how I've missed this in my previous searches, because it's the top rated peanut butter cookie recipe. So, even though I thought I had found THE one and only peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe for me, I decided to give this one a go. And, wow, am I glad I did. Because, let me tell you, it blows my other one out of the water. They were the moistest, chewiest, most flavorful cookies I've ever had. I'm telling you- you MUST make these.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
12- 16 oz chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and add eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats (and chocolate chips, if desired) until just combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just light brown. Don't over-bake. Cool and store in an airtight container.