April 26, 2007

This One's For the Team

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I’m constantly reading blogs, magazines and cookbooks that proclaim they have “The Best” recipe for . Proper logic tells me that can’t possibly be true. They can’t all be “The Best.” With so many recipes out there I think it’s a pretty gusty move to claim yours as the ultimate. Personal preferences play a huge roll in determining how much I like something compared to how much you like it. For example, anyone who tries to tell me that thin, crunchy cookies are “The Best” is fighting a losing battle. There’s no way I’m going to agree with them. The same goes for cakey brownies. You might believe with all your heart that a certain version of a recipe is the be all and end all but I have no doubt there’s a slew of people who will disagree with you. People are crazy that way, (case in point, people who don’t like things they’ve never tried.) With all of that in mind, I won’t try to tell you that these cookies are “The Best” you will ever have, but they very well could be, they’re amazing! And for the record, I’ve heard many, many people say they’re the best they’ve ever had.


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So just what kind of cookies am I talking about? Team Cookies. Also known as the perfect balance of peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate chips. I’ve eaten hundreds of these cookies but this is the first time I’ve ever made them myself. I was introduced to Team Cookies 5 years ago when I played University basketball. Pam, my teammate and roommate and best friend’s Mom, made a mountain of these cookies and brought them to one of our games in a plastic bucket. There were so many cookies that they couldn’t be contained in a mere cookie tin, they actually required a bucket. Go big or go home! As soon as I tasted one though, I understood why there were so many. Pam had been baking these cookies for basketball teams for a long time and it never mattered how many she made, they would always disappear. The cookies are so good that they developed a cult following all of their own. It began with the women’s basketball team and quickly spread to the men’s team as sharing a bus with them meant sharing our cookies too. Then someone gave one to a volleyball player and soon they were on the lookout for the cookie bucket. And I don’t know if it was my imagination but it seemed like we had more friends and fans in the stands when Pam and her cookies made an appearance… Luckily for all of you, Pam believes that recipes should be shared and not hoarded so without further ado, I give you Team Cookies:


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Basketball Team Cookies


1 cup peanut butter, (crunchy preferred)

1 cup soft butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup lightly-packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups « quick » rolled oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cream together peanut butter, butter, white and brown sugar and brown sugar. If you don’t use crunchy peanut butter, I would suggest adding in salted peanuts when you mix in the chocolate chips.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Combine oats, flour and baking soda, and stir into peanut butter mixture.

Add chocolate chips. If the dough is still really sticky, add in a little more flour.

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Place in oven at 325-350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly brown, do NOT overcook these.

Cool on rack. Makes 4 dozen.

* The only disclaimer I must put on these cookies is that when you make them, they will never be as good as when Pam does.



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39 comments:

Mercedes said...

Those look delicious, I'll believe your best claim!
(p.s. why is this post tagged with potato?)

K and S said...

I wish I were part of that team! Those cookies look great!

Helene said...

You know who is going to make these next..me! they look fabulous!

Truffle said...

These looks absolutely fantastic! Such tempting photos too!

Anh said...

Your photo of this is excellent! I agree with you that "best recipes" are subjective to personal taste. I am not a fan of peanut butter and chocolate combo, but would loce to try this since you say they are good!

Anonymous said...

Oh yum! I love dunking cookies like that in cold milk too!

Charise said...

I am indecisive when it comes to cookies, so peanut butter, oatmeal, AND chocolate chips all in one? I am sooo making these next time I'm allowed to bake! (We had to make a no baking unless most of it leaves the house rule because we don't want to gain any more weight or make ourselves sick by gorging on desserts, haha!)

The Cookbook Junkie said...

Yikes! I know to most people this is an innocent story of delicious cookies but to the mother of a peanut-allergic child - you've just described my worst nightmare. I just picture these peanut cookies being passed all over the place, traces of peanut all over that bus.

Ah, food allergies suck!

These cookies look delicious, BTW. I'd definitely make them if they weren't poison around our house.

Ilva said...

now I have to try to find peanut butter over here!

Anonymous said...

Yummy!! All of my favorite things in one cookie!! Can I join your team?? :)

Cheryl said...

All that in one cookie, then it really is the perfect cookie for me. I will no longer need to make them separately. This recipe is definitely going to be a must try for me. Good job.

Lis said...

I wanna join the team if that's what you get served!!! I am so hungry right now.. GOD.

janelle said...

I need a team cookie recipe! I just printed this recipe off: thank you Pam for sharing.

You are a woman after my own heart: I played University ball too! Love the bucket!

Anonymous said...

I believe you... I completely believe you! I can't imagine that there would be a much better combo out there.
Love picturing a big bucket of cookies!

Anonymous said...

those pictures are killing me! And the combination of chocolate-oats-peanut butter must be incredible, must get some peanut butter soon, thanks for the recipe.

Anita said...

You've totally convinced me that these cookies are amazing! I love the shot with the basketball!

Gattina Cheung said...

merely read the recipe, it looks like nothing extraordinary... BUT... suddenly more guys standing behind my back drooling over my screen... the best cookies (and prettiest hand) we ever seen!

Madame K said...

How could these not be delicious?
They contain my favorite sweet things all in one cookie!

Unknown said...

I have no doubt that these are delicious cookies...the picture is speaking! They remind me of some cookies I created for my dad...mountain cookies (except mountain cookies have more in them!. If you can wait a month, I'll be posting a recipe for one of the best chocolate chip cookies I've had (I won't say THE best, but they are definitely up there at the top!). I'm saving it for my blogiversary.

brian said...

These look delicious. I was going to say you had some really chunky peanut butter until I saw the note about the salted nuts. Peanut butter and oatmeal sound like a pretty cool combination. The photos look good enough to eat.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Peanut butter and chocolate are all the sin one can ask for and oat meal to redeem me! Go Team! (that's a rush on the cookie bucket!!) Go Team!

Alicia said...

I made these yesterday and they are sooo good! I went to the grocer, and while I was there I picked up some chocolate chips - for no known reason. When I got home, I saw this post. I kept thinking about making them, and gave in not even an hour later. When I heard someone say "go big or go home" on the radio station I had on, I knew it was meant to be!
I may or may not post them. I haven't taken photos yet, but most of them are in various neighbors' tummies. =P
Thanks for the great recipe Bri!

Anonymous said...

I would like to be a member of this team please!!!

They look so good. I can't wait to try them and dip them in milk!

Virtual Frolic said...

These cookies look/sound awesome - what a great combo! with the oats and peanut butter - they're like the cookie version of a powerbar! =)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! I want to run into the kitchen and make these RIGHT NOW, but I'm refraining because I need to ask a question about the cookies - what is the texture of these like? The only reason I ask is because my family prefer chewy or crunchy cookies rather than the soft, cake-like ones!

Brilynn said...

Alicia- I'm glad you made them and they turned out well for you, (but really, how could they not?). I assure you, they'll disappear in no time.

Ellie- No worries, these are definitely NOT a cakey cookie. They're dense and chewy and packed with goodness! Go make them!

Elizabeth said...

Those cookies look great! They remind me of another of my favourite kind of cookies: gorp cookies (butter cookie made with peanuts, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips).

Question about the peanut butter you use: Does it have sugar in it? (Our peanut butter doesn't so if yours does, the amount of sugar would have to be adjusted.)

-Elizabeth

P.S. In spite of what you say, I still maintain that I make the best brownies. And the Thompson raisins (that you erroneously contend don't belong) are one of the keys to their "best" quality... :-)

Maggie said...

Everyone loves cookies, no matter where in the world they live. Yours look especially good.

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Dense, chewy, and peanut buttery? They sound good enough to eat a team's worth!

Anonymous said...

I am glad that this recipe is being shared! My mom (Pam) has been making these cookies for both mine and my brother's basketball teams for years. I have tried many times to make them... and they always turn out well... but somehow never as good as my mom's! I guess she sprinkles a little bit of mama's love into them! She also makes them with white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for those allergic/picky/insane people who don't like chocolate.

Heather said...

Now this is something I will have to make. I adore making cookies.

Unknown said...

duuuude. The last of these just came out of the oven and holy crap, man. Truly amazing. I used crunchy natural peanut butter (no sugar added, just peanuts) and I really like the way they came out, especially the fact that they're not as mouth-parchingly salty as traditional peanut butter cookies. Next time I might try making them a TAD saltier by including salted peanuts - I think they'd would be good either way.

Thanks very much for posting this! It just became a staple recipe in my house.

Jeanne said...

Oh I am SO going to make these! How can I resist a combination of amm ly favourite cookie ingredients all rolled into one cookie?! Almost enough to make me want to take up basketball :)

Anonymous said...

I made these yesterday and was a bit perplexed...mine pretty much stayed as lumps. I re-read the recipe later and realized I forgot to add the baking soda - oops!! But they still tasted great - I can only imagine how good they would be if I actually managed to make them correctly. I'll try again soon.

Karen

Deborah said...

I made these the other night, and they are just as wonderful as you say they are! There are only 2 of us, but I'm sure we'll finish them off!

Maddy said...

Yum! I just made these and they were very tasty. Next time I might add a pinch of salt, as I used unsalted butter and not-too-salty PB in this batch. Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

I made these last week, halved the recipe and put minced peanuts in since I wanted extra peanutty flavor. I didnt have chocolate chips so I cut up a semisweet bar of Ghiradellis(sic). They turned out delicious although I managed to burn the bottoms of the first batch:(. Didnt even have any to bring to work because we horded them for ourselves. yummy!

Cindy said...

Brilynn, I made these for a road trip last weekend and they were very popular all round. Thanks for the recipe! :-)

The Peanut Butter Boy said...

You weren't kidding Brilynn, These just look like the best cookies ever. And the ingredient measures are so simple, it's as if you've stumbled upon some basic law of physics that defines these cookies! These are the next batch of cookies I make whenever I need to satisfy a crowd (there's no way I'm making these just for myself, gotta share the wealth and flex the baking muscles). Thanks!

- The Peanut Butter Boy