Chocolate Peanutbutter Heaven

No, that's not the name of these cookies, but, believe me when I say that it should be!

(If you're just joining me, I have decided to add something new on my blog.... I've decided to add a section of cookie recipes. (You can read why here.) Today, is my first cookie post!! Yippee! And I'm so happy to share this particular recipe with you.)

This is a new recipe I was led to in the cooking section of The Pioneer Woman's blog. She posted it on March 3, which happened to be a holiday named after me... What?!? You didn't know there was a national holiday named after Valerie the Witch? I was surprised too!! When I found out, with tears streaming down my face, I accepted the honor humbly and with great joy. Without divulging too much personal information (which I try to stay away from in this public forum), I will announce to you the name of this important day: NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER LOVERS' DAY!!!

How did the-powers-that-be know that I'm the biggest lover of peanut butter in all the land? Could it be by the copious amounts of jars that I'm purchasing and storing like a squirrel in my pantry? Could it be whiff of peanuts that waft off my person as you walk past me? Could it be the fact that my words are always jumbled when I talk due to the fact that that I'd just imbibed another delectable spoonful of the sticky stuff? Could it be the fact that my food pyramid has peanut butter instead of fruits and vegetables on the bottom, most important, level? Could it be that my thighs are peanut shaped?

Whatever the reason, they named March 3 after me and for that I'm extremely grateful.

I'm also extremely grateful to the GENIUS that decided to marry my beloved peanut butter with the equally appealing chocolate. I'm sure that person is guaranteed a place of honor in the courts of Heaven.

These cookies aren't named Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven, but their name is equally as good. I give you:

Magic Peanut Butter Middles

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Cocoa Powder
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ cups White Sugar
½ cups Packed Brown Sugar
½ cups Butter
¼ cups Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 whole Egg
_____
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
¾ cups Powdered Sugar
¾ cups Peanut Butter


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg. Slowly mix in the flour mixture. Set aside.

For the peanut butter filling, combine confectioners’ sugar and 3/4 cup peanut butter. Beat together well. Roll filling into 30 small balls. Try to keep the balls all the same size—around 1 inch.

For each cookie, use 1 tablespoon of chocolate dough and roll into a ball. It helps to flour your hands first. Squish the ball of chocolate dough flat and place a peanut butter ball in the center.


(I thought it was easier to flatten them in my very clean hands. I didn't have parchment paper, and when I flattened the cookies on the cookie sheet, they got stuck and consequently ripped when I tried to pull them up.)

Wrap the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter ball to completely cover.


Tip: The peanut butter tends to squish out of the sides as you're wrapping. Try chilling the balls in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour to an hour before wrapping in the chocolate cookie dough.

Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass into white sugar and use the cup to lightly flatten the cookie balls. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

These cookies aren't a quick fix! If you want to prepare them to take to an event, make sure you allow plenty of time to roll all the peanut butter balls and then wrap them.

Also, I would err on the side of UNDERcooking them. They taste better as a soft cookie. However, if after they have baked and cooled, they are still too crunchy for your taste, I found that popping them in the microwave for 10 seconds makes them PERFECT!!!

**I found this recipe at The Pioneer Woman but ultimately it came from Stephanie at allrecipes.com**