Magic in the Middles
Chocolate Dough:
- 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar (plus extra for dredging)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Peanut Butter Filling:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Make the chocolate dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients, blending well. Make sure there is no dry dough covering the bottom of the bowl that is not well combined.
Make the peanut butter filling: In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners sugar until smooth (I used a spatula and then my hands).
Assemble the cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon of the chocolate dough (a lump about the size of a walnut), make an indentation in the center with your finger and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together cover the center and roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about ½-inch thick.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they're set and you can smell chocolate. They will still seem a little soft, but they will set once you let them cool. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.