And now for.... Chocolate PLUS Peanut Butter!

Yup. We did it. Another blog about cookies. So sue me. Recently Christina and I were sitting in Panera working on our resumes, giving each other nervous looks when we realized applying for jobs sucks, and coping with the anxiety by buying Pumpkin Muffies. While taking a break (which lasted a while), we realized that both of us wanted to cook something sugary and comforting this week. So we went a little cookie crazy.

I was feeling peanut-buttery (I mean, how good did that peanut fudge look??). But really, what’s the best thing about peanut butter? Mixing it with chocolate, sugar, and butter. Dieters, be warned, this is not a recipe for you. But – it – is – DELICIOUS. Picture a doughy Reese’s Cup covered in sugar. Mmmmm. These would be perfect holiday cookies to hand out to friends, family, neighbors, mailmen, that cute guy on the train, ANYONE. You’ll be the talk of the town.




Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Adapted from Sweet Peas Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy putter butter, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
¾ cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 375 F. Line a baking sheet (though we ended up using two) with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, use a beater or stand up mixer to beat together sugars, butter and ¼ cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and blend well.
4. In another medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining ¾ cup of peanut butter until smooth. If it seems too chunky, add more peanut butter.
5. HERE is the fun part. Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten in your hands. Take about 1 tsp of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll cookie in sugar. Flatten the cookies to about ½ thickness, and place on the baking sheet, about two inches apart.
6. Bake in over 7 to 9 minutes. Edges of cookies should have a few small cracks. Let stand on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.