Peanut Butter Surprises

Don and I have been so saddened for all the people sick as a result of the recent peanut butter salmonella poisoning that we decided we wanted to make and post a little something in their honor.  

Since Saturday is splurge day for us, we found a really great Martha recipe for chocolate cookies with peanut butter filling to bake.  Our peanut butter at home was of course safe, so we said a little prayer for those who had not been so lucky with their recent peanut butter products and went ahead with our cookie project of salute. 

As per the norm, I decided to change up the original recipe a bit, so I will just list my version here:

Peanut Butter Surprises (based on Martha's)

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Cookie Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

PB filling:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between additions. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients; mix on low speed until fully combined. Add chocolate chips; mix on low just until combined. Cover bowl and chill until firm - about 1 hour.
3. In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Chill for 1 hour.
   
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
5. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time onto baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 2 teaspoons peanut butter mixture. Top with a second tablespoon of flattened dough. Carefully mold dough to cover the surprise.
6. Bake until firm, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Sifted dry ingredients.

Suuuuuuuugar.

If you're not lucky enough to have a sister who has gifted you some of her homemade vanilla, you should definitely give it a try for yourself (see here).  There's nothing like it!

The dough will need to be refrigerated for an hour, so don't preheat your oven just yet.  

Make the peanut butter filling and refrigerate at the same time as the cookie dough.

Scoop your first scoops...

...make a thumbprint...

...fill with the peanut butter filling (a baby spoon works well)...

...then cover with another scoop of dough and seal the top.

The refrigeration really helps the cookies keep their shape.

These Wilton, three tier, collapsible cooling racks are so super!  If you're not lucky enough to be gifted a set from your folks (like I was :-) check them out here. 

Wow, these cookies are goooooood.  The best description I have is... a soft, brownie-like cookie with a hidden Reese's peanut butter cup in the middle.  Do yourself a favor - stay out of the peanut butter candy isle and bake up a batch of these beauties instead.  They're worth it.