Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

I love trying out new kinds of cookies. My hubby however, wishes I'd only ever make Chocolate Chip Cookies. So whenever I am asked to bring cookies to something I almost always try something new. Enter the Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies. Basically what we've got here is a Peanut Butter Cup in cookie form. Can't go wrong with that! From the outside they look like a chocolate Snickerdoodle, but once a bite is taken the creamy peanut butter center is discovered...hence the "surprise". Next time you want to try out a new cookie recipe, try these!






Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
 from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:


Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and stir to combine, blending well. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until smooth.
Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll the cookie in the sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. 

Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Let sit on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note:  The original recipe said to flatten the cookies prior to baking them, but I found that the cookies looked prettier when I did it post-baking.