Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

 

 

  This is one of those old stand-by tried and true recipes that made me say "why have I never posted this?" 

I was recently mixing up a batch, and I thought, wait... have I ever shared this? Nope. Never did. So I immediately needed to remedy that. And here it is! 

 It's a perfect Hershey's chocolate cookie with lots and lots of Reese's peanut butter chips. It's literally up there with some of my all-time faves. It absolutely stands the test of time, and it's a classic for a reason. One bite and you'll understand. If you're a peanut butter/chocolate lover and you've never tasted one, what are you even doing with your life? Yes, I'm judging you. You need to whip up a batch, like right now! You'll thank me later! 

 

 

 

 

 2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1⁄4 cups (2-1⁄2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 (10 oz pkg.) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips


Heat oven to 350°F. 
Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until fluffy. 
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. 
Stir in peanut butter chips. 
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do NOT over bake; cookies will be soft. 
They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling). 
Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.


Tips:
-When creaming the butter and sugar, be sure to let it go for a good 3-5 minutes. I find that it takes longer than you think to really incorporate those two ingredients. You’ll wind up with a much better product! 
-Anytime I make a peanut butter dessert, I always like to add an extra little pinch of salt. Just that tiny bit of extra saltiness really brings out the peanutty flavor. And as my Kristin always says.. “ The peanut butterier the better!”

Peanut Butter and Jelly Krispie Treats

 

  We all know and love the classic Rice Krispie Treats. Always good, always a hit. But what if we add a little spin to them? NOW we're elevating them to a new level of delicious! 

 I recently hosted a party for some of my dearest and most cherished friends, and I was trying to think of dessert ideas. I kind of like the idea of doing an adult dinner menu, but then choosing something whimsical for dessert. I thought of doing ice cream sundaes. Or S'mores. But then I thought oooo how 'bout rice krispie treats?! But lets have some fun and do them in an elevated way. So in this case, I kept the childhood whimsy and made them with peanut butter and jelly, but instead of doing store bought grape jelly or strawberry jam, I made my own bumbleberry jam. (that's a mixture of strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and raspberry). I also wanted the treats to be nice and chewy, so I added the secret ingredient... sweetened condensed milk. It makes them absolutely pull-apart chewy and it's the perfect thing to keep them from becoming hard and stale. That was all it needed! One bite and it was childhood nostalgia all over the place. Everyone loved it! Who knew? And come to think of it, why haven't I done this before??

 So if you love a good PB&J, give this one try. There's a reason a classic is a classic. Classic flavors, classic treats. And putting them together is the fun twist! Enjoy! 

 

 

 Non stick cooking spray

 1/2 cup butter
1 (10oz) bag mini marshmallows
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
6 cups rice cereal
1 cup jam or jelly, any flavor, home made or store bought

Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with a long piece of parchment paper that extends up and over two opposite sides of the pan.
In a large pot set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and stir with a flexible spatula until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until combined.
Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the rice cereal until combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down lightly to create an even layer. Use an offset spatula to spread the jelly over the treats. Let the treats set up on the counter for at least 1 hour. To remove them from the pan, grip the parchment overhang and lift. Slice into squares and serve.

 

 

Tips:

The original recipe (which is actually from The Today Show, btw) directed you to press half of the mixture into an 8x8 square pan, spread with jelly, then press the other half on top, to make a literal PB&J sandwich. I think that makes too thick of a bite and decided to do the 9x13 pan instead, with the jelly on top. But if you'd like to do the sandwich, go for it! You'll only need about 1/2 cup of the jelly. 

Like I said, the key to making chewy treats is the sweetened condensed milk. And there's also one other key ingredient, which is, believe it or not.. SALT!  Don't omit it! It really makes the peanut butter taste like peanut butter. And if you really want to pump up the peanut flavor, add some chopped peanuts! Because why not???  

 

 

Peanut Butter Apple Crumble

 

 So, I was recently cleaning out my pantry, and I discovered a forgotten half jar of peanut butter. Just sitting all the way in the back, thinking no one loved it anymore.  Of course, I instantly thought "what can I make with this?" Yes, I could absolutely do something with chocolate. That's a no brainer, but not exactly ground breaking. Then I thought, how about something apple? A crisp, maybe? Yes, that's exactly the right note I want to hit. But, to me, a crisp has an oat topping, and I was out of oats. I did, however, have a can of slightly salted peanuts. What if I swap out the oats for peanuts and call it a crumble?  THERE's the A HA moment! Then I found a recipe on a blog called Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt. (This is my tweaked version.) A little bit of peeling and coring and mixing, and the next thing I knew I was smelling the heavenly scent of apples baking. YUM. It really is one of life's simple pleasures, you know. So there we have it. Apples and peanut butter, with a peanut crumble topping. Add a little vanilla ice cream on top, and you're having a party! Definitely a keeper. Absolutely delicious!

 

 
Filling:
6 apples
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs flour
pinch salt

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped peanuts
3/4 cup flour
4 tsp butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
pinch salt

Heat over to 350ºF.

For the filling:
Peel, core, and slice apples set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining filling ingredients. Tossing filling with apples. Place in a large baking dish.

For the topping:
In the same bowl as you tossed the apples, (no need to wash), combine all topping ingredients. Pour topping all over apples in an even layer. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. You MUST serve this with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. I'm pretty sure it's a law.

Tips:
The usual “baking” apple is the Granny Smith. It’s tart so it stands up to the sweetness of the sugar, and it doesn’t turn to mush while it bakes. But I like Honeycrisp apples better, so that’s what I used. Use what you like!
If you’re using salted peanuts, omit the pinches of salt.
If you want your apples to be a little bit more saucy, sprinkle them with the sugar, and let them sit for a while until the juices form, then toss with the remaining filling ingredients.

Lunchroom Lady Peanut Butter Bars

 Very often, when people have some extra time on their hands, they like to watch TV or a movie. I, on the other hand, like to watch videos on Youtube. Actually, I often refer to it as "going down the Youtube rabbit hole" because sometimes I'll get so involved in watching videos that the next thing I know it's 3 hours later. Ah, well. I guess there are worse things I could do.
 One of my favorite Youtube discoveries was a channel called Whippoorwill Holler, hosted by Miss Lori and her husband Mr. Brown. (And yes, that's what she calls him, which I love. ) They share all kinds of simple homemade old fashioned recipes. Lots of canning and preserving, lots of pies and baking. How awesome is that? Clearly, Miss Lori and I are kindred spirits. I've tried several of her recipes and I've loved every single one of them.
 So when I saw that she was making these peanut butter bars, I immediately added peanut butter to my next grocery list. They're easy to make and they turned out perfectly. Very gooey, very peanutty, and just exactly what you want in a peanut butter bar. YUM.
 I immediately called my Kristin, because her motto is "the peanut butterier the better." This one definitely lives up to that!
 So, thanx, Miss Lori, for another great recipe. I'll look forward to your next video!




Bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter 
1 1/2 cups peanut butter 
1 1/2 c sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 tsp salt 
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
4 eggs 
2 cups flour 

Glaze:
1/4 c. peanut butter 
2 to 3 tbs. milk 
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup confectioners sugar



For the bars:
Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13 pan. Line with parchment, if desired. 
Melt butter and peanut butter together, either on the stove top or in the microwave. Stir together until well combined. Set aside. 
In large mixing bowl, stir together the sugars, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir in eggs one at a time. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Add melted peanut butter mixture until well combined.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set in the center and lightly golden around the edges. 
Meanwhile, make the glaze.

For the glaze:
In a small bowl, microwave the peanut butter and about 2 tbs of the milk, just to soften. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla and confectioners sugar. Whisk until well incorporated and smooth. If it's too thick, add the last tbs of milk. Spread the glaze over the bars while they're still warm in the pan. Cool completely or chill before cutting into squares. 



Tips:
I like to spray my pan, and then line it with parchment with enough extra to hang over the edges. Then you can use the parchment as a sling to lift the whole batch out of the pan in one go.
I added a little extra confectioners sugar to the glaze, just because I wanted it a little sweeter, and I also added a little pinch of salt. Speaking of salt, that's what will definitely make your bars taste peanutty. Just that little bit of saltiness changes the entire game. Be sure to include it!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

  Recently, my niece Casey Case with the Pretty Face celebrated a milestone birthday, so of course I offered my baking skills for the party effort. I asked what her favorites are, and I was told that she love love LOVES peanut butter. OK, I can work with this! How 'bout if I make Peanut Butter Cupcakes? "Perfect! She'll love 'em!" But wait... then I realized.. I have no peanut butter cupcakes on my website. WHAT?? How is that even possible?? Well, we must find a go-to recipe right away!

 It didn't take me long to find just the perfect recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Sally's Baking Addiction. I don't think there is even ONE recipe I've tried from Sally's blog that wasn't absolutely perfect. And these cupcakes turned out perfectly! So there we have it. I did, however, make one slight change. Not to the cupcake recipe, but for this occasion, I decided to do a Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream instead of the peanut butter icing that Sally posted. Honestly, the results were life changing. I don't even know how else to describe them. If you've ever made Swiss Meringue Buttercream, the recipe was the same, only I swapped out some of the butter for peanut butter. Sheer peanut butter heaven! And as My Kristin always says "the peanut butterier, the better."

 At the party, the cupcakes were a huge hit, and Casey loved them! I'd say that's a solid mission accomplished right there. And if you're also a peanut butter fanatic, you'll definitely want to make these. I'm telling you... LIFE CHANGING. Not even kidding.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

1/3 cup very finely crushed or chopped peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-3 liners because this recipe yields 14-15 cupcakes. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using a handheld mixer, stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, or a whisk, mix the oil, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients, milk, and peanuts and whisk or beat together until completely combined. Avoid overmixing. Batter will be slightly thick. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid baking over the sides. Bake for 21-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched.

For around 35 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Tips:

It should be noted that the original recipe suggested that all ingredients should be at room temperature for better mixing. I didn't have time, so a few of my ingredients were straight from the fridge. Sorry Sally.

I also didn't have any peanuts to finely chop or crush, so I just left them out. I did, however, add an extra pinch of salt, just to drive home that salty peanutty flavor. Turned out great!

Peanut Butter White Chocolate Blondies

  Do you ever get in one of those moods where you just feel like having a specific something??? Like, lately I've been in the mood for something peanut butter. I blame my niece, Kristin, because she's always saying "The peanut butterier the better!" So I did a quick inventory of my pantry to see what might inspire. I found a bag of white chocolate chips and immediately knew that this was the right PB pairing. It reminded me of white chocolate Reese's cups, which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. So I did a bit of googling and found this recipe on a blog called Bake or Break. That's it!! It's sweet, it's salty, and it's everything you want in a peanut butter dessert. Also it's quick to throw together and it uses regular everyday ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Perfect!
So the next time you're feeling like something peanut butter, just whip up a batch!
They'll definitely satisfy your deepest PB cravings!



1  1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed or mixing by hand, combine the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. If using a mixer, reduce the speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

Tips:

*As I've posted above, you'll notice that the original recipe includes cinnamon, but tbh, I think I may omit it next time. Now, you know how much I love cinnamon... my usual rule of cinnamon is "there's no such thing as too much", but in this instance, I think even that tiny little bit conflicts with the peanut butter flavor. I think it gets in the way of the salty sweet thing that I love so much. But they're still delicious either way! You decide!

Baking for a bigger crowd? Just double the entire recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan. The baking time stays the same. 

Want it to be even peanut butterier? Add some peanut butter chips along with (or instead of) the white chips!

As always, when I bake any kind of brownies or dessert bars, I line the pan with parchment paper with a little extra hanging over the edges. Then after the bars are baked and cooled, I use the parchment as a sling to lift the whole batch out of the pan at once. This saves your pan from being ruined, and it lets you make nice even perfect cuts!

Btw, I added an extra tiny little pinch of salt because I love salty and sweet together. It also really brings out the flavor of the peanut butter! 

Chocolate Cake with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

  Ok, I know I already have several chocolate cake recipes, but can you really have too many?? I think not! So here we go.
 I recently made this for a dinner at the request of my niece, Terri. Actually, when she first showed me this recipe (that she found on a blog called Ready Set Eat) she said "you can use whatever cake recipe you want. I really just want the whipped peanut butter frosting." Ha! Normally, my go to chocolate cake recipe is Hershey's Black Magic Cake, but I compared the two, and they're very similar, so I figured I'd go with it.
  And guess what?!? It's just as good! It's rich and moist and very deep with chocolate flavor. I think the secret is the cup of coffee. It makes any chocolate cake SO much more rich! (It doesn't actually make the cake taste like coffee, it just makes it taste like a deeper chocolate!) Clever, huh?
 For this cake, I did most of the decorating myself, but then I got an assist from Terri's youngest, Grace. I must say I'm kinda sorta proud of the drip design. It can be a little tricky to get just right! And yes, yes, I know it's piled with A LOT of candy, but when you have a 4 year old helping you, you just keep going. I think it makes it all the more fun and everyone loved it!
 Definitely make this the next time you want a showstopper for a special occasion, or you can just make it because your niece wanted an excuse to have whipped peanut butter frosting.

Cake:
Baking Spray
1 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 cups granulated sugar

 Frosting:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbs heavy cream
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

 Ganache:
1/4 cup milk chocolate morsels
2 tbs heavy cream

Reese's cups, Hershey's Kisses, and/or Reese's Pieces for decorating, if desired



Preheat oven to 350°F.
  Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray. Stir together coffee and cocoa powder in medium bowl; set aside to cool. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl; set aside. Whisk milk, eggs and vanilla into cooled cocoa mixture until well blended.
   Beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
   Meanwhile, place remaining 1 cup butter, peanut butter and 4 tablespoons heavy cream in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and very fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well blended.
   Invert one cake layer out onto serving plate and press lightly to secure it in place. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of first layer. Invert second layer onto frosting, make sure the layers line up evenly and then lightly press down to secure top layer in place. Frost entire cake with a light layer of frosting; refrigerate 15 minutes.
  Meanwhile, microwave 2 tablespoons heavy cream in small microwave safe bowl 30 seconds, until hot. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Frost cake with a thick layer of frosting. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and decorate with peanut butter cups or other candy.


Tips:
The key to making the perfect drip design is to make sure the cake is very cold. You should also make sure the ganache is not too hot, but still warm enough to pour. Then when you drizzle it around the perimeter of the cake, the cold cake will chill the ganache and stop it in its tracks, and that's what keeps it from dripping all the way down.

Double PB Blondies

 Can I just tell you how much I love brownies? Like seriously, I love love LOVE them. So anytime I can find a recipe for a dessert square with a delicious fudgy brownie texture, I'm in heaven. So what's a blondie, you may ask? Well usually it's a non-chocolate kind of a brown sugar sort of butterscotch or vanilla version of a brownie. But in this case, it's peanut butter! I was kind of in the mood for something rich an chewy and sweet and salty, and then my friend Brittany mentioned "rifling through the peanut butter section of my website" and I thought Oh! Peanut butter blondies!! So I found a recipe and tweaked it ever so slightly. The result? Exactly what I was looking for! Sweet and salty, rich and fudgy, just like a regular blondie, only DEFINIELY peanut buttery. And as my niece Kristin always says "The peanut butterier the better!"
 So here we are. You should definitely have some ice cold milk on hand for these babies. If you're a PB lover, you seriously need to give 'em a try! Yum.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 cup light brown sugar
2 large egg
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
3/4  tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup peanut butter chips (plus more)


Preheat oven to 350ºF.
 Line an 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
 In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and light brown sugar. Mix thoroughly. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in the peanut butter until well incorporated. Sift together the salt and flour, then add to the peanut butter mixture. Fold in peanut butter chips by hand. Evenly spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle an extra handful of peanut butter chips across the top, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 Tips:
Using the parchment paper is definitely the way to go here. Not only will your blondes lift right out of the pan, but also your blondies will look so much nicer with perfectly clean knife cuts and your pan won't get ruined!
Be sure to add the salt. It's absolutely the key to this recipe's success! I added 3/4 tsp of kosher salt, but you could even push it just a tiny pinch more. It's the salt that makes it taste peanutty!
For a little burst of color, try using Reese's Pieces instead of the peanut butter chips! And if you simply MUST have chocolate, add some chocolate chips or M&Ms!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

 Whenever my friend Katie comes over, I always try to find a new and yummy peanut butter recipe to make for her. I swear to you, I don't know of another human being on the planet who loves peanut butter as much as Katie does. Not even kidding. Anyway,  I wanted something that was an easy picky-uppy dessert (that's an official culinary term, btw), so I thought of maybe doing something PB&J. It didn't take me long to find this recipe from Martha Stewart, so I decided to go with it since I already had just about all the ingredients on hand. Perfect!
 They're simple to make, they're absolutely delish, and they SCREAM for an ice cold glass of milk. And best of all, they're Katie-approved! You should definitely make 'em!


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups strawberry jam, or other flavor

2/3 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped 

 

 

Heat oven to 350ºF. 

Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the parchment, and coat inside of pan with flour; set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. On medium speed, add eggs and peanut butter; beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Whisk together salt, baking powder, and flour. Add to bowl of mixer on low speed; combine. Add vanilla. Transfer two-thirds of mixture to prepared pan; spread evenly with offset spatula. Using offset spatula, spread jam on top of peanut-butter mixture. Dollop remaining third of peanut-butter mixture on top of jam. Sprinkle with peanuts. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool; cut into about thirty-six 1 1/2-by-2-inch pieces. 

 

Tips:

Instead of greasing and flouring the pan, I just sprayed the pan with cooking spray, lined it with parchment, then sprayed the parchment with baking spray (which is cooking spray with flour in it). It's much easier and quicker!

The key to any peanut butter recipe (in my humble opinion) is the addition of salt. Make sure you don't forget it! It's the combination of salty and sweet that makes all the difference!

I used grape jelly because I just happened to have some homemade jars in my pantry, but use whichever kind of jelly you like! Also, I think I might add a little extra jelly next time. Just sayin!

Oh, and one other thing.. the recipe says to cut into 36 pieces, but I cut mine into 24 brownie-sized squares. More is more!

 

 

Nutterfluffer

  Are you hosting a New Year's Eve party? Here's a easy drink idea that will surely get the party going. I saw Allie and Georgia making it on the cooking channel, and immediately thought "oooo that sounds good!" It's the perfect signature drink for your party because it's FUN! And that's exactly what you want your New Year's Eve party to be! You can even make your own marshmallow vodka if you're so inclined. How fun is that?  So, be safe, have a great party, and may you have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! Enjoy!


PEANUT BUTTER SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water

 NUTTERFLUFFER:
3 ounces marshmallow-flavored vodka, such as Pinnacle or Smirnoff
1 1/2 ounces hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico
Ice, for chilling
 2 marshmallows, for garnish
1 teaspoon peanut butter, for garnish

  For the peanut butter simple syrup: Combine the sugar, peanut butter and 1 cup water in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pour the vodka, hazelnut liqueur, and 1 ounce of the peanut butter simple syrup into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled and frothy. Pour into small up glasses and garnish with a marshmallow that's been injected/stuffed with the peanut butter. Then try not to eat peanut butter from the jar with your hands.


Tips:
 To make your own marshmallow vodka, chop up a couple handfuls of marshmallows and place them in a large mason jar, then pour regular vodka over them. Place the lid on the jar and leave at room temperature overnight. Give the jar a good shake every so often, if you so choose. The vodka will dissolve the marshmallows. That's all there is to it!
Instead of injecting marshmallows with peanut butter, I just rimmed the glass with a little of the simple syrup and then again in crushed salted peanuts.

Classic Peanut Blossoms

 

 This is one of those cookies that has been a favorite for years. Just like chocolate chips and snickerdoodles, these fall right into the "Classic Christmas Cookies" category. But somehow the recipe never made it to my blog. How is that even possible??? I swear I thought I had posted it at some point, but I was recently looking for them on my blog and they were nowhere to be found.
 So lets fix that! Here they are! Delicious and chewy peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's kiss placed right in the center. You just can't go wrong with the PB and chocolate combo, and they're easy enough that you can knock out a batch or two in no time. Goes perfectly with a tall glass of ice-cold milk. You could also pair them with a cozy mug of hot chocolate. Yum!

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

1/4 cup sugar

48 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

 

 

Heat oven to 375°F.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and salt; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate 30-60 minutes. 

Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar.* 

 Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Remove to cooling racks.

Tips:

I like my cookies to be on the chewier side, so I always slightly underbake them. This recipe directs to bake them for 8-10 minutes, so I take them out of the oven at 8 minutes.

 *I used turbinado sugar to roll them instead of regular sugar. It gives a little crunch and it makes them sparkly! And sparkly is always good!

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

 You know how they say Oreos are milk's favorite cookie? Well, I think they might now have a little bit of competition. This is Martha Stewart's recipe and they're absolutely AMAZING! They seriously scream for a tall glass of ice cold milk. So rich, so peanutty, and they have that salty hit that is just perfect to cut the sweet. The cookies themselves are soft, kind of like a shortbread cookie, but they have this little crunch thing goin' on with the oats and the coarse sugar on the top. OMG it's insanely good. The combination of all of those things results in one of the best tasting peanut butter cookies you'll ever find! Not even kidding. I had to stop myself from eating them. Actually, come to think of it, the sparkle and crunch from the sugar was one of my favorite things. Be sure to include it!
 So if it's a holiday cookie swap, or an after school snack, or even just a treat before going to bed, I know you'll absolutely love 'em! If you have any peanut butter lovers in your life, this is definitely the one for them. Try 'em!

For the cookies:
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oats and cook, stirring, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread oat mixture onto prepared baking sheet and let cool. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together remaining 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined. Add oat mixture and flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined. Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Cover dough with a second piece of parchment paper and roll out dough, between parchment, to 1/4 inch thick. Carefully slide rolled dough onto baking sheet and transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 20 minutes. Remove top layer of parchment paper; cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets. When cookies have cooled completely, snip end of a pastry bag and squeeze peanut butter filling in a spiral motion on bottom side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches.


For the peanut butter filling:
3/4 cup peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

 Mix all ingredients together in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Fill cookies as directed.

Tips:
 I found it easier to handle the cookies after they were COMPLETELY cool. Even better when chilled. They seemed very fragile when I was assembling the sandwiches and many of them broke. I'm not sure if I did something wrong, but that's what happened. At first I wasn't going to post the recipe, but my friends tasted them and said OMG Are you KIDDING? So that settled that. They taste SO GOOD, that a little careful handling seemed well worth it. And once they were filled, I let them chill in the fridge for a while, and the filling helped to keep everything together just fine. Definitely worth making, but just handle with care!

Peanut Butter Molten Lava Cakes

 

  Instead of going for the rich, deep, dark chocolate something for Valentine's Day, how about going for something peanut butter? Some may argue that peanut butter is just as decadent and rich, and is just as perfect to end your delicious sweetheart dinner. Frankly, I love both, so I would have difficulty choosing a favorite! Yes, a regular Chocolate Molten Lava Cake is sheer heaven when you want to celebrate a special evening, but when it's PEANUT BUTTER, then we've reached a whole new level of fabulous. Just the "unexpected and new" factor will make it a hit and seal the deal! So if you worship in the house of peanut butter, you should definitely give this one a try. Drizzle with a little chocolate ganache, and I PROMISE you'll be a hit.
  My niece, Kristin, (whose motto is "the peanut butterier, the better"), found this recipe for me on a blog called bakingamoment.com. Most times, after I make a dessert, I don't come back to the recipe because I'm always looking for new dessert ideas to try. For this one, though, I think I'm gonna have to make an exception. This is seriously one of the easiest, most delicious recipes I've ever made. I can see myself coming back to it again and again. If you like peanut butter, then I PROMISE you will too. It's just that good! Thanx Kristin!


1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
optional: chocolate ganache and additional powdered sugar, for garnish

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease (2) 6-ounce ramekins with non-stick spray.
Place peanut butter and melted butter in a bowl and stir together until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar. Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Sprinkle in the flour and salt and stir until smooth. Divide the batter equally between the prepared ramekins. Bake for 16 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and then run the blade of a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen. Invert the lava cakes onto small serving plates. Drizzle with chocolate ganache and sprinkle with powdered sugar (if using), and serve.

For the ganache, use an equal portion of heavy cream and chocolate chips. Heat the cream in the microwave, and then pour it over the chips. Let it stand for a minute or two, then stir until smooth. That's all there is to it! Use any kind of chips you like!

Tips:
-The recipe says to bake the cakes for 16 minutes, but bake yours until you reach your desired level of gooeyness. I like a VERY gooey lava cake, with the lava slowly oozing out when you cut into it. If you bake it a little longer it will tighten up a bit and you'll have a fabulous, deliciously moist cake in the center.
-I added an extra little pinch of salt, just because I always like the peanut butter to be a little salty. Just sayin!
-This is perfect for date night because the recipe makes just two cakes, but they're really quite rich. There's absolutely nothing wrong with sharing one for dessert and then sharing another later!
-The original recipe paired the cakes with grape jam instead of chocolate ganache for a peanut butter and jelly vibe. To do this, just loosen up a few tablespoon of grape jam with a little water, (a few drops at a time), then pour a little into center of the serving plate. Invert the lava cake on top and serve.
-If you don't have ramekins, use oven proof mugs or tea cups!

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

I first saw these crispy little pieces of peanut butter heaven on a TV show called Unique Sweets. The show highlights different dessert items from all over the country. This was from a place in NY called Baked. They're sort of like an amped up version of a rice krispie treat. SO good, and really simple to make too!
 My friend, Sean, was hanging out with me one afternoon as I was making them and so I asked him if he would mind being a taste tester for me. Of course, he did and he loved them! Actually, I think "obscenely delicious" was the phrase he used. I must say I have to agree with him! They're really THAT good! They're more crunchy than the usual rice krispie treat, and then they have this SINFUL layer of creamy rich peanut butter, almost like fudge. Then, as if that's not enough, there's a layer of chocolate icing, sort of like a ganache on the top. It all definitely falls into the category of "how can this not be good?"  REALLY rich and decadent, but SO addictive at the same time.
 I didn't make them exactly as the original recipe directed. I just fiddled a little bit with the amounts of each ingredient, but the technique was all the same. The original recipe was for an 8x8 square pan and I wanted to use a 9x13 pan, so I just changed a few things. I think it worked pretty well!!! 
Make these for your next party! I betcha everyone will devour them!


CRISPY LAYER:

4 cups crisped rice cereal
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

MILK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER LAYER: 

12 oz bag milk chocolate chips
16 oz jar creamy peanut butter

 CHOCOLATE ICING: 

12 oz bag semi sweet chocolate chips 
1 stick (8 tbs) butter
1 tsp corn syrup


For the crispy layer:
Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside. Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 9x13 baking pan.
Into a small saucepan, pour 1/2 cup water. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup (do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, 235F. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, and then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let it cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.


For the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:
In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crispy layer. Put the pan in the refrigerator until the top layer hardens, about an hour.

For the chocolate icing:
In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer. Put the pan in the refrigerator until the topping hardens, about an hour.

Cut into 24 even squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.


 Tips:
Instead of spraying a paper towel and greasing the pan, I sprayed the pan with nonstick spray, then lined it with parchment paper, letting some hang over the sides, then sprayed it again. Then after it was chilled it was easy to just lift the whole batch out of the pan in one piece, using the parchment paper as a sling. I always use this method whenever I make any kind of bars because it's easy to make perfect cuts with a big knife, and it doesn't ruin the pan. Simple, right?
I sliced them into 24 bars, just as I would do with brownies, but you could easily stretch them a little further by cutting them into smaller squares. They're rich enough that a smaller serving would still work.

Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownies

 I recently saw this recipe on a blog called Brown Eyed Baker.  I had seen it on a few other sites, with variations to the recipe as well as the name, and thought I'll have to try them some time. So when I was looking for some kind of 'picky uppy' dessert to bring to my Jeanie's, I decided that this was the perfect time. It just falls into the "how can this not be good?" category. They also fall into the "OMG Are you kidding me?" category. They're seriously over the top!!!
 So here they are! I tweaked the amounts of the ingredients ever so slightly (because you know I can never just leave a recipe alone) and now they're even more amazing! They're rich and decadent, chewy and crunchy,  and simple to make too!
 Kristin once told me "The peanut butterier the better." Well, seriously, I don't think you're gonna find anything that is more peanut butterier than this! You should definitely add these to your brownie repertoire!

1 batch of your favorite brownie recipe for a 9x13-inch pan
1 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
14 Reese's peanut butter cups, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups Hershey's milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1. Prepare the brownies according to the directions and bake for about 5 minutes less than the recipe states. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups. Return to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.
2. While they are finishing baking, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. (you can also melt them in the microwave, stopping every 20 seconds or so to give them a stir, or use a double boiler). Stir in the cereal to evenly coat. Remove the brownies from the oven and evenly pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over top. Spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tips:
You don't have to use chips. You can use regular milk chocolate bars, and then just chop them up.
 I used a regular bag of Hershey's milk chocolate chips. There was about 1/2 cup of chips leftover in the bag, so I just sprinkled them over the brownies after I finished spreading the rice krispie mixture. I think it adds a nice little decorative touch! And for a little extra pop of color, you can also sprinkle M&Ms or Reese's Pieces over the top! How fun is that?
 I used 14 Reese's cups because that's how many were in the bag. The original recipe called for 8 (which was clearly not enough, as far as I'm concerned). Feel free to use however many you like!
 To make perfectly perfect brownies, use a 9x13 pan with square edges (some pans have rounded corners). You'll get perfectly shaped brownies with no odd ones that have rounded edges.
 I like to let it chill until firm, then remove the whole batch from the pan in one piece. Otherwise, your knife will ruin the pan, and you wont get perfect cuts. It's much simpler to put the whole batch on a cutting board and use a big sharp knife to cut them into perfect squares.
 I like to spray the pan with baking spray (not the regular Pam, but the one that has flour in it). You can also grease the pan with butter or shortening, line it with parchment paper (make sure you leave some hanging over the edge) and then grease the paper, then bake as usual. The parchment works like a sling to lift the brownies out of the pan.
 This recipe is WIDE open for variations. Use any kind of chips, or chopped candy. You could even do a blondie version. Perhaps next time I'll use snickers bars....yum!

Peanut Butter Balls

 Ok this is an easy one. You just stir everything together, shape into small balls and then let them set. They're SUPER simple and HIGHLY addictive!!!  I discovered the recipe while watching Trisha Yearwood (who is quickly becoming one of my favorites!). These are a definite MUST for all of the peanut butter lovers in your life. They're also the perfect treat to munch while you're decorating the trees!! Thanx again to Kate, Kate, and Kait!

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 white corn syrup
2 cups crunchy peanut butter
4 cups rice cereal  

In a large saucepan, stir the sugar and the syrups together over medium heat. Remove from the heat and quickly add the peanut butter, continuing to stir until the mixture is fully combined. Add the rice cereal and mix well. Shape the mixture into palm-size balls with your hands. Transfer to waxed paper. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Tips:
Just as with cookies, I used a cookie scoop to measure them into balls. It insures that they'll all be the same size.
Also, I think it's cute that the directions tell you how to store them in a container for up to two weeks...as if they'll last that long... hehehe. That's funny.

Whole Jar of Peanut Butter Cookies

 I guess I never realized how divided people seem to be about peanut butter. Some people absolutely LOVE it, can't get enough of it, and eat it with a spoon right out of the jar.... and then there are others who simply don't care for it, (which, btw, makes absolutely no sense to me).  Clearly, I'm in the first group!
 So here's another fabulous treat for all of my friends who worship in the house of peanut butter. Actually, I think this is now my "go to" recipe for peanut butter cookies. You know how some peanut butter cookies are kinda dry? Well, these cookies stay moist and chewy, just like cookies were meant to be! I got the recipe from my niece, Kristin, whose motto is "the peanut butterier, the better." I totally concur! And you know how I'm always going on about a recipe which only uses a tiny bit of the key ingredient. More is More!!!! So you can imagine how excited I was to get a recipe that uses a WHOLE jar! You just KNOW they're gonna be awesome!! oh, btw,...... Kristin gave me this recipe a while ago, (actually about a million years ago) but it has taken me forever to get to it because I kept eating the peanut butter, which would leave me with less than a whole jar.....not enough for the recipe....time to go buy some more! ...Better get a gallon of milk while I'm there!
Thanx Kristin!

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 (18 ounce) jar peanut butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped peanuts

	In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Stir in peanut butter. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, stir in the peanuts. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
	Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
	Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and flatten in a criss cross pattern with a fork dipped it flour. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should look dry on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cool completely on a rack. These cookies taste great when slightly undercooked. Tips:  This makes an extremely soft cookie dough, so you really need to chill it in the fridge for two hours before you bake. Keep that in mind when you're planning your baking. Maybe make the dough ahead of time, and keep the dough covered in the fridge. Then you'll be all set when you're ready to bake.  Also make sure you let them cool on the tray for a few minutes when you take them out of the oven. They need that extra time to set up. Otherwise, they may break apart when you attempt to transfer them to a cooling rack.  I didn't add the chopped peanuts because I didn't have any on hand, so, I guess they can be an optional ingredient. Just sayin'.  Instead of greasing the cookie sheet, try baking your cookies on a sheet of parchment paper. You can use the same sheet of paper for the whole batch of cookies and they make for easy clean up when you're finished! You can also use a silpat, which is a silicone baking mat. It fits right into a half sheet pan, and nothing sticks to it!

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

 This is one of my all time favorite appetizers. Well, to be honest, it was only recently that I tasted this specific recipe, but I've had many versions, and this one is right up with the best restaurants I've tried!
 When Reen made it for my family, she used Tyler Florence's recipe, and it was gone in no time. SWOOSH! Gone. Everyone loved it! But if you know me, you know that I couldn't just leave it as it was. Just like I do with all of my favorite recipes, I tweaked it a little to make it my own. So here is the tweaked recipe. Ta Da!  I hope you like it!
Oh, btw, how do YOU spell it? Is it Satay? Or Sate? Guess it doesn't really matter. Either way, I think you should make it for your next get-together. Love it!


Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
Vegetable oil, for grilling
Fresh cilantro leaves
Peanut sauce, recipe follows

Combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in a shallow mixing bowl, stir to combine. Place the chicken strips in the yogurt marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at up to 2 hours.

 Thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers working the skewer in and out of the meat, down the middle of the piece, so that it stays in place during grilling. Place a grill pan over medium heat and brush it with oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Grill the chicken satays for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely seared and cooked through. Serve the satays on a platter topped with cilantro leaves, accompanied by a small bowl of peanut sauce on the side.

Peanut Sauce:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Combine all ingredients using a wire whisk or an electric mixer. Pour the sauce into a nice serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve with chicken satay.

Tips:
-You can easily substitute chili paste for the chili powder, if that's what you happen to have on hand.
-If the sauce is too thick, simply whisk in a drizzle of hot water until it's the correct consistency.
-If you'd like a little more heat, feel free to add any kind of pepper sauce or even crushed red pepper flakes.
-If you don't have a grill pan, you can also use your electric indoor grill. It works just as well!

Fluffernutter Cookies

Ah, Fluffernutters, how I love them....

A longtime staple of playgrounds, lunchboxes, after-school snacks, and college dorms, a Fluffernutter is the wonderful combination of marshmallow creme (aka FLUFF!) and peanut butter in a delightfully tasty sandwich!

 So, how about making Fluffernutters in the form of a cookie? Though probably not the first to come up with this idea, my sister, Cathy, was the one who suggested them to me. She was reading my recipe post for Peanut Butter Cake where I added the tip of sandwiching the Fluff between the layers of cake. She thought, "Why not sandwich the Fluff between two peanut butter cookies instead?" Fabulous. So, then I did a little googling and found that there are several versions of Fluffernutter cookies. Some have the Fluff on top, (like a thumbprint cookie), some have the Fluff baked right into the cookie. One of the most popular recipes only has THREE ingredients, two of which are the peanut butter and Fluff! Crazy, huh?

 Well, after several discussions with Fluffernutter enthusiasts, (Denny, Michael, Katie, Kelsie, Jackie, and Joshua, to name a few), I decided that this was the version for me (based, of course, on Cathy's original suggestion and also on how much you could taste the Fluff). Just bake up some of your favorite peanut butter cookies, and then sandwich the Fluff between them.  Its brilliance is in its simplicity. The addition of a chocolate drizzle just sends it over the top! This recipe is from my favorite Mrs. Fields' Cookie Book, but use whichever recipe you like best!

Better make extra!

Your family will devour them!

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix dry ingredients and set aside.
On medium speed, in large bowl, blend sugars; add butter, mix till grainy consistency. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy. On low speed, add flour mixture until barely mixed into butter mixture.
Drop by rounded tablespoonsful, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Use a wet or flour coated fork to gently press a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie, if desired.
Bake until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned, approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Remove to cool on a flat surface.

Chocolate drizzle (optional):
Just melt one or two large Hershey bars with about a tablespoon of plain vegetable shortening in the microwave. Mix until smooth, then drizzle the top or dip one side of the cookies. The chocolate will set up, but it'll still be soft. If you'd like the chocolate to set up to a harder shell, use dipping chocolate, as one would use for making candy.

Tips:

To save time, you can certainly take a shortcut buy using ready made peanut butter cookie dough, instead of mixing up your own. You really can't go wrong with Pillsbury or Nestle. Just sayin'.

Although the recipe says to drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, I'd suggest making smaller cookies. Instead, use maybe 2 teaspoonfuls for each cookie. Remember, you're using two of them for each serving. Then again, if you'd like gigantic sandwich cookies, go for it!
To make the cookies extra Fluffernutterier, just add peanut butter to the sandwich! Simply place a teaspoon of peanut butter on one cookie and a teaspoon of Fluff on another, then sandwich the two together. More is more!

Peanut Butter Sauce

When I first made the Peanut Butter Cake, I topped it with a chocolate ganache. Kristin decided that, as much as she loved the cake, it needed to have a peanut butter glaze instead of the chocolate. I wondered if that might be too much peanut butter, but then realized that I had obviously taken leave of my senses because there's no such thing as too much peanut butter. Am I right, Kristin?
So I decided to see if I could find a really good peanut butter sauce recipe. It needed to be sweet enough to pour over a dessert, such as vanilla ice cream, but it also needed to be rich enough to act as a ganache over the Peanut Butter Cake.
Well, ladies and gents, this is the one. I tried it out when the WDHS gang came over for dinner. I had made a Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake and decided that this sauce would be the perfect topping, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Needless to say, it was a huge hit! As usual, Katie was an immediate fan, because basically she can never get enough peanut butter, and Brooke loved it so much, she made it for her whole family. She even took the picture! Thanx Brooke!
Give it a try. I know you'll love it!


1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (you can use half and half)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
pinch kosher salt

Combine all ingredients except peanut butter in a saucepan stirring constantly until all ingredients are dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely then add the peanut butter and stir well. It will look like a hot mess, but keep stirring and it will turn out smooth.
That's all there is to it! Easy, right? Serious Yum.

Tip:
One of the key ingredients is the pinch of salt. It might not seem like a big deal, but it's that little bit of saltiness that makes it. Make sure you include it!
Serve this on anything chocolate or banana, or as a sundae topping with Reese's Pieces.
I know the recipe only calls for a cup of peanut butter, but I always just add the rest of the 12 oz jar. More is more!!!