Simple Savory & Satisfying: Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

Monday, February 10, 2014

Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

These cookies are basically a Reese Peanut Butter Cup in cookie form, which just happen to be one of Eric's all time favorite candies--perhaps making these one of his all time favorite cookies? I don't know. He was asking me if it was possible to make an peanut butter cookie stuffed with peanut butter. But Eric isn't the only one in the house who loves peanut butter. Poor Arya couldn't figure out why I had the peanut butter jar out and she wasn't getting any (the main reason I even buy peanut butter is to put in her Kong toy).

Anyway, if you love Reese Peanut Butter Cups, you'll love these cookies!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Filling
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Cookie
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets with cooking spray.

Line a plate with waxed paper. In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients using your hands. Once the mixture us well combined, roll the filling into 30 1-inch balls and place them on the waxed paper plate. Freeze for approximately 30 minutes.

Beat the butter, brown sugar, white sugar and peanut butter in a large bowl until well combined. Add in vanilla and egg then combine.

In a second medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Refrigerate dough for 20 to 30 minutes. (If you don't refrigerate the dough, you will have a difficult time with the next step).

Remove the peanut butter balls from the freeze and the dough from the fridge. Wrap about 1 tablespoon of dough around each peanut butter ball and place on greased cookie sheets. You may want to work in batches. The dough can become quite sticky.

You can make these into cookie balls or flat cookies. If you want balls, just pop them into the oven. If you want flat cookies, gently press the cookies with the bottom of a glass.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are set.