Lovin' From the Oven

Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

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Question. How many of you gals (or guys) reading this know how to tie a tie? I’m talking about the windsor or half windsor knot. The majority of the guys I ask have no idea how to tie their own tie, including my DB. Yes, that means I tie his tie for him anytime there’s a formal event.

What’s up with that? Even my dad doesn’t know how to tie a tie. He keeps all of his ties knotted, hanging in his closet so that he can just re-adjust it and slip it over his head. Maybe it’s because our generation is so laid back; Boys hardly wear ties on a daily basis anymore so there’s no need to learn how to make a knot. Such a shame– ties are so cute on boys! I’d wear them all the time if I was a guy. Maybe.

Now onto the cookies.. they were not too shabby. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, then yes, you’ll enjoy them. If you don’t really care for that combination, then you won’t really care for these cookies (like me). I did like the look of the hidden peanut butter center, though.

 from Picky Palate

For the peanut butter center:

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
For the chocolate cookie:
  • 2 sticks softened butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s special dark)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. First make the peanut butter centers. Mix the three ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter and both sugars until creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla.
  4. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into the wet mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. 
  5. First roll peanut butter cookie dough into about 1 tablespoon balls with your hands. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop chocolate dough on top and on bottom of peanut butter dough. Pinch together on the sides, until the peanut butter dough is covered.
  6. Place onto baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes.

Double Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

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I went to Chuck E Cheese yesterday for a 3 year old birthday party and had a blast! Granted, I spent most of the time chasing my DB’s niece around and helping her push buttons… but I still had fun (especially with the instant photo sketch machine)! It’s amazing how kids are so easily entertained. I was overloaded with plenty of cupcakes, cake, and brownies yesterday since we celebrated multiple birthdays, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get any cotton candy! I may or may not have gotten a little sick last night from all that sugar and fell asleep at 6 PM. So that’s what it feels like to be a kid again… Oops.

Now these cookies tasted alright.. but the texture was all off. The cookie reminded me of Dorie’s World Peace Cookies, but not nearly as good. The frosting was too thick and practically un-spreadable even though I added quite a bit of milk to it. The cookie itself was dry and hard, but the instant espresso powder was a nice touch since it brought out the chocolate flavor. A little tweaking to the cookie recipe and a new frosting altogether would do it!
Oh, these cookies were practically impossible for me to cut into discs out of the refrigerator, so I just molded them myself using my hands. That would explain the uneven, semi-circular shapes that I’ve got going on.

From Jules Food

1 cup flour
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup chocolate chips
1 tsp instant espresso powder

  1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
  2. In another bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. Stir in the egg and vanilla.
  3. Gradually mix in the flour mixture to the wet mixture, until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Separate the dough into two and roll them into 2 uniform logs about 12 inches long. Refrigerate it until firm enough to slice.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Cut the logs into 1 inch slices and place 1 ½ inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the dough looks just baked. The cookies should be tender, so do not over bake.

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 Tbsp softened unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  1. Cream all the ingredients together until well mixed. Use immediately.

Day 4: Trifecta Cookies

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Day 4 of my 12 days of cookies: Trifecta Cookies. What the heck are trifecta cookies? Well, they’re the perfect blend of chocolate chip, oatmeal, and peanut butter cookies, all rolled into one. They were deeeelish. The oatmeal didn’t overpower the rest of the cookie. In fact, you could barely even tell it was there. My DB even finished a whole cookie. He NEVER eats anything with oatmeal! I normally don’t eat peanut butter cookies, but I ate three of these right out of the oven. Bottom line? These cookies are here to please everyone… even the haters.

I sent these cookies out to the winners of my last giveaway and got wonderful feedback from them. So far, they’ve been loved all around! I substituted reduced fat peanut butter for the regular peanut butter, and it really didn’t make a difference. Who knew that you can skimp on the fat and still have it taste good? Not me! These cookies are ever so slightly adapted from The Novice Chef Blog.

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 creamy natural peanut butter (I used reduced fat Jif peanut butter)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  1. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Cream together butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the flour and mix until combined. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.
  3. Refrigerate the dough overnight or up to 24 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Roll the dough out into balls and place about two inches apart on a baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes on baking sheet then move to a wire rack. Makes 22-24 cookies.

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