Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This remains a family classic. Few cookie recipes combine chocolate and peanut butter in the perfect ratio as well as this one does. These cookies are not the type that just have a peanut butter cup on top - no, these cookies ARE peanut butter cups. 

Mmmm, Reese's

In between Reese's and cookie

See the though process?!

So, you see the likeness. Of course, these are a bit more time consuming than regular cookies, but the hit the spot. These always seem like end of the school year cookies to me. Luckily, it IS the end of the school year! Yesterday was the last day of school, with finals happening monday and tuesday. Thank goodness for summer time. Unfortunately, the summer is the only thing separating me, and my classmates, from the college rush that will happen this fall. At least there's still some time to make cookies.

You will need:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick of butter, SOFTENED
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 and then 1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 and then 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Prep time - 30-45 minutes
Bake time - 10 minutes per tray
Total Time - about an hour
Oven Temp - 350

First, I always prep by taking a bite of peanut butter. You've got to know the consistency of the ingredients you are working with. But seriously, I recommend scooping out the peanut butter you will need right now. It is easier to handle when it's not in the jar. Personally, I prefer smooth peanut butter for this. It makes a really nice texture with the powdered sugar.
Now, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Mix and set aside.

Separately, mix the softened butter with sugar, brown sugar and 1/4 of the peanut butter. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
This is your chocolate dough.  Split it into about 30 equal parts and roll them into balls.
Next mix the powdered  sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter.

 It may be too crumbly - add more peanut heaven butter until it holds together and is easy to roll, without being sticky.

This is the filling. Roll the peanut butter into 30 balls.

 
 Flatten out the chocolate balls, and place one peanut butter ball inside of the chocolate. Fold the chocolate around the edges and seal. Flatten the ball.

An easy way to flatten the ball is to take a cup and coat the bottom with sugar and use that to flatten it.

To add an extra zing, I put a little bit of salt into the sugar, to give the cookies that desired salty & sweet contrast.
Bake those suckers at 350 for about 8 minutes each, until they begin to crack. The peanut butter middles will, and should, be soft.