Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I have previously stated that I am not really crazy about peanuts, peanut butter or peanut butter cookies. Sandy sent this recipe to me quite a while ago and, as I looked at it, I decided to give it a try. They are really peanutty. Don’t be set back by the recommended 15 to 18 minute cooking time. I was and tested it out. They were better at 15 minutes than 13. The filling and all the crunchy peanuts pieces set them apart from more basic peanut butter cookies.

Recipe By:

America’s Test Kitchen via my son’s Mother in Law, Sandy

Yield:

24 small sandwich cookies

 Ingredients:

Cookies

1¼ cups raw peanuts, toasted and cooled, 6¼ ounces*

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Pulse peanuts in food processor until finely chopped. Set aside.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Set aside.

4. Whisk butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, egg and vanilla together in second bowl.

5. Stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture with rubber spatula until combined. Stir in peanuts until evenly distributed.

6. Form dough into 1 tablespoon balls and place on  prepared baking sheets. Butter the bottom of a drinking glass. Dip glass into granulated sugar. Gently flatten the balls, dipping into sugar between each ball.**

 

7. Bake until deep golden brown and firm to touch, 15 to 18 minutes***, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

8. FOR THE FILLING: Microwave peanut butter and butter until butter is melted and warm, about 40 seconds. Stir in confectioners’ sugar until combined.

9. TO ASSEMBLE: Place cookies upside down on work surface. Place about 1 tablespoon warm filling in center of each cookie. Place second cookie on top of filling, right side up, pressing gently until filling spreads to edges. Allow filling to set for 1 hour before serving.

 Notes:

* I used unsalted dry roasted peanuts.

** I stole this idea from a previous recipe and love it.

*** This sounded like too long to me but 15 minutes was just right for me.