Peanut Butter Filled Dreams
Why I Love This Recipe
The first time I saw this recipe I thought - ok I'll try it since I am always looking for new cookies to send as Christmas gifts. I was NOT impressed with the recipe at all and started over changing just about every measurement. The end result is a delicate, flavor filled chocolate cookie with creamy peanut butter middles. I am now getting special requests at Christmas to make these.
Ingredients You'll Need
Cookies:
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter - softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sift before measuring)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar for pressing
Directions
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda to combine; set aside.
Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1/4 cup peanut butter until combined, scraping sides of bowl occassionally.
Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until combined.
Spoon in as much of the dry flour mixture as you can into the liquid.
It will get thick.
Stir in remaining flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
You should have a total of 32.
Set aside.
For peanut butter filling, in a medium bowl stir together powdered sugar and the 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth.
Shape mixture into 3/4 inch balls.
You should have 32.
On a work surface, slightly flatten each chocolate ball and top with a peanut butter ball.
Work the chocolate dough over the filling and make sure peanut butter is completely covered. Roll dough into balls.
Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Using a small juice glass or jelly jar, dip in sugar and then lightly flatten cookies.
A tip is to first tap the cookie with glass to get it a bit sticky - then dip in sugar - then lightly flatten just a touch bit more.
You want them a bit plump so don't flatten as you would a peanut butter cookie.
These cookies will spread a little as they bake.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until just set and suface is slightly cracked.
Allow to cool for a few minutes on sheet before transferring to wire rack.
**These can be made bigger but make sure when rolling dough balls that you have the same number of chocolate and peanut butter. If you do this experiment a bit to get the right taste combination. It's not easy...you may end up with too much chocolate and not enough peanut butter.
**I have not tried using sanding sugar ontop instead of granulated sugar so I don't know the result.