Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cookies

Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cookies

MAKES ABOUT 24
Hiding inside this chocolate cookie is a creamy, peanut butter center—yum! See all five 2020 Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest Winners.

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 pinches flaky finishing salt
  • Cookie Dough:
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons to coat cookies
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Optional Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup melted chocolate and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions

  1. Make filling: Line a small tray with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and salt until blended. Form heaping teaspoonful portions of filling into balls. Place on parchment-lined tray. Place tray in freezer while making cookie dough.
  2. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  3. Make cookie dough: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter with peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. On low speed, mix in egg and and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture until combined.
  4. Assemble cookies: Place 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove peanut butter balls from freezer. Form scant 2 tablespoon portions (a #40 scoop) of chocolate dough into a ball. Flatten to a disk, about 2 1/4-inches in diameter. Place a peanut butter ball in the center and wrap chocolate dough around it to seal. Roll into a ball. Roll ball in granulated sugar and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten cookie slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
  5. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time on middle oven rack 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
  6. Optional garnish: Dip one side of each cookie in melted chocolate and immediately dip into chopped peanuts. Place on a rack until set.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 180
  • Fat: 10.0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.0 g
  • Cholesterol: 20.0 mg
  • Sodium: 125.0 mg
  • Carbohydrates: 22.0 g
  • Fiber: 2.0 g
  • Added Sugars: 0.0 g
  • Sugar: 13.0 g
  • Protein: 4.0 g