giant peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies

giant peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies

If there's one flavor combo that my husband Geoff loves more than anything in the world, it's peanut butter and chocolate. He loves them in pretty much any incarnation, but I think these giant peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies are some of his favorites ever! I started making them while I was in nursing school and needed some stress relief, and they have been a big hit every time I've made them since!

As cookies go, these are pretty much just awesome in every way… a rich and flavorful chocolate cookie with a hint of peanut butter, filled with a delicious soft peanut butter center. I love to eat these cookies warm, with the peanut butter soft and gooey, and I love the contrast of salty and sweet. These cookies are definitely on the indulgent side, but they’re perfect for special occasions! (And isn’t any time that you get to eat a cookie this great a special occasion?)

Because you have to stuff each cookie individually, they are a little more labor intensive than your average cookie, but once you get into your groove they go pretty fast. I think the trick is to make sure your chocolate dough is soft enough to work with. If it’s a little on the crumbly side, be sure to add a teaspoon or two of milk to make it into a smooth dough, and it will be much easier to wrap it around the peanut butter centers. I’m sure the extra sugar on top isn’t strictly necessary, but I love that it adds a little fun crunch to the texture. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, you definitely have to give these a try!

Giant Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

for the cookies:

1/2 cup sugar, plus a little extra for dipping

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-2 teaspoons milk, as needed

for the filling:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside. To make the filling, cream together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until well blended. Refrigerate the mixture while you mix up the dough to make it easier to handle.

To make the cookie dough, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda, and mix until a thick dough forms. If the dough is crumbly, add 1-2 teaspoons milk.

Divide the dough into twenty pieces that are roughly equal in size. I did this by dividing the dough into halves, then fourths, then dividing each fourth into five equal sized pieces (they don't have to be exact, but try to make them as close as possible). Remove the chilled filling from the fridge and divide it into 20 equally sized pieces, then roll them into balls and set aside.

Place a piece of dough in the palm of your hand and flatten it out. Place a filling ball in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a ball to seal it. Dip the top of the ball into sugar, place it on the baking sheet, and flatten it lightly with your hand. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing it out on the cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are set and slightly cracked around the edges. Enjoy!

adapted from This Week for Dinner

{originally posted on I Heart Naptime}

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