Today’s cookie meant to tempt your friends and enemies to the dark side is filled with chocolate and more chocolate, plus peanut butter. Because, really, who can resist the combined force of chocolate and peanut butter?
It’s the much talked about “Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.” Apparently, they even talked about them over at Ace’s blog a week or two ago… But this version of the recipe is the tops! I started with the one over at King Arthur’s site, and then tweaked it until it was just right.
So bake and enjoy these tidbits of tantalizing temptation.
Chocolate Peanut Butter (Cup) Cookies
adapted from a recipe at kingarthurflour.com
Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (dip-level-pour method)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups (you can also use chocolate chips and pecan pieces, but they won’t be peanut butter cup cookies, if you do!)
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3) In another bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
4) Beat in the vanilla, egg, and water, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.
5) Stir in the mini peanut butter cups.
6) Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Flatten each cookie to about 1/2″ thick.
7) Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, or until they’re set and you can smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.