Thursday, April 2, 2009

Peanut Munchies...Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven!

In my quest for a yummy treat to put in my kids lunches, I came across this promising recipe in Better Homes and Gardens (March 07 issue). These cookies have a dark chocolate cookie wrapped around a slightly sweet peanut butter center...its like eating a peanut butter cup, only much better....beware, you'll have to eat a few immediately upon cooling.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup +2 tbls sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine butter, and 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup peanut butter; beat with mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with mixer. Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture. Shape dough into 32 balls, each about 1 1/4 inches. Set aside. For filling, in bowl combine powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter. With mixer beat until smooth; knead by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 small balls. Preheat oven at this point to 350 degrees. On work surface, flatten a chocolate dough ball; top with peanut butter ball. Shape flattened dough over peanut butter ball, completely covering peanut butter ball; reshape into ball. Repeat. Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped into the 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 8 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Then cool on wire rack. It says it only takes 35 minutes...It took me and hour and a half to make a double batch so be prepared to spend some time on this one!