Choco-peanut cookies

Seems like it has been a while since I posted recipes.  How about some chocolate cookies?  Peanut butter and chocolate cookies?  The original recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

 

What you need:

for about 32 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp granulated sugar

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. 
• In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon. Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside. 

For peanut butter filling

• In a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

• On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling balls. 
• Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.  
• Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. 

Tips and Suggestions:

These cookies can be easily veganized.  Click here for my vegan version from a couple of years ago.

Brownies

This is my slightly adapted version of the recipe from Jen at Use Real Butter (the recipe originally comes from Fine Cooking magazine).  Jen has some nice and informative step-by-step shots of the whole process - go check them out!!!  Please, be patient and let the brownies cool - they'll become more chewy and chocolate-y.

What you need:

4 oz unsalted butter (115 g)

4 oz semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate (I used chocolate chips)

1 ripe banana (very ripe), mashed (could be replaced by an egg)

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp cocoa powder

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• In a double boiler or bain-marie melt butter and chocolate chips
• Remove from heat and stir in banana, sugar, and vanilla
• Beat in an egg
• Add flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder.  Mix well
• Butter an 8x8 baking pan, pour batter, and bake for 30-40 minutes
• Check if brownies are ready by inserting a toothpick in a middle.  It should come out almost clean
• Be patient and let the brownies cool (they are much, much tastier when cooled)

Tips and Suggestions: 

Do not let anyone know you are making these. "Sharing is caring" is quite overrated, if you ask me!