Chocolate Peanut butter Cookies

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”
― Linda Grayson

 I have some great friends.  One of my friends was cruising my "Recipes to Try" board on Pinterest and emailed me to ask if I would make these cookies and bring them to class on Thursday.  Well, she is a second grade teacher and cookies any day with a bunch of 7 year-olds would be great, I was game.  Then I checked my calendar and saw that I was training that whole day, school psychs in the morning and classroom teachers in the afternoon.  I had to email back and let her know I wouldn't be able to run the cookies out to her.  She did remind me that she was going to be in my afternoon training session...I had forgotten.  So, I made these cookies for Nicole.  They were wonderful and came from the Pillsbury website.  Nicole is a true friend, she gives me an excuse to bake, and have a post for my blog, and eat cookies!  You don't get better than that.

COOKIE

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• OR 1 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 40 to 45 chocolate-covered miniature peanut butter cups
• 
  

GLAZE

• 1 teaspoon Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• OR 1 teaspoon Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 cup (6 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter

Preparation Directions

• HEAT oven to 375ºF. Coat baking sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray.
• COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar and peanut butter in bowl of electric mixer; beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed until just blended. Form rounded teaspoonfuls of dough around each peanut butter cup. Enclose entirely. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
• BAKE 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are just browned. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
• COMBINE shortening, chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 1 minute. Stir. Repeat until smooth.
• DIP cookie tops in chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is set.

TIPS:
I like big cookies, so I only got about 2 1/2 dozen from this (I used a #40 scooper).  Next time, I will use the fun size peanut butter cups that are individually wrapped, not the minis that come unwrapped in the bag.  I think it will be a better candy/cookie ratio.

This is a keeper, they are so good.  I can't wait for my next request for them...anyone?

October 9, 2012     Daylight  10 hours, 20 minutes, 39 seconds     Temp. 38ºF