Peanut Butter Surprise!

We had peanut butter cups leftover (aww shucks!) from the lack of trick-or-treaters this year. So I decided to make these delicious cookies. These cookies carry a serious punch and require a milk chaser :)

Ingredients
Makes 36

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
• 36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.
3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.
4. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Nutty for Oats Cookies

These are sooooo delicious! I am definitely nutty about oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate together. I have always altered recipes to get these three ingredients together. When I worked in a bakery I even had my own cookie recipe that sold well - people love this combination. So when I saw this recipe in one of my favorite baking books - King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking- I jumped to try it.

Nutty for Oats Cookies
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Adam's Chunky peanut butter)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick, 2oz.)
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups (12 oz.) chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet chips, but milk chocolate would be tasty too)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Cream the peanut butter, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs, scraping the bowl once they're incorporated, then add the ground oats, old-fashioned rolled oats and chocolate chips. Drop the dough with small ice cream scoop (I prefer the ice cream scoops) or a tablespoon on to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies 11-13 minutes, rotate pans midway through. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the pans.

Pour a glass of milk and enjoy!