Peanut Butter Middles

I've been meaning to post this yummy cookie recipe since Christmas time. I found it in a Betty Crocker magazine called 100 Best Cookies. It's gooey peanut butter inside of a chocolate cookie, dusted with powdered sugar. Yum!


Ingredients:

Chocolate Cookie

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2   cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2   teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened 
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1   egg
1   tablespoon milk
1   teaspoon vanilla

Peanut Butter Middle

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter


Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a large bowl (or Kitchen Aide) combine butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Beat on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the white and brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the flour mixture (if using a hand mixer, add as much as you can with mixer and finish with a wooden spoon). Shape into 32 balls.
**If you have a food scale, weight the balls. The chocolate balls weigh about 21-22 grams, and the peanut butter balls weight about 7-8 grams. I start by weighing the entire ball of dough and dividing in halves until I have 32 balls. 

3. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and the 1/2 cup peanut butter. Beat until smooth, kneading by hand if necessary. Shape into 32 balls.**


4. For each cookie, flatten a chocolate dough ball; top with a peanut butter ball. Shape dough around peanut butter ball to enclose.

Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I use a Silpat). Flatten with spatula or a glass.

5. Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes or just until set and surfaces are slightly cracked. Cool for 1-2 minutes on cookie sheet and remove.


6. Dust with powdered sugar.

7. ENJOY!