Been a few weeks since I made cookies. Probably because I spent the entire month of November making cookies — for 115 hours! — so that I didn’t want to even see any for a while. But we’re back and these are a cute little surprise for January. Buttons! And peanut butter! I like peanut butter, but don’ *love* peanut butter (that is likely the German in me — not a big thing in Germany) but the peanut butter is more like frosting in this case so lighter and fluffier. Sort of like an oreo, only a million times better.
For the cookies
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
for the filling
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup light cream
You will also need: a button cookie cutter (or a round one, and you can use a skewer to put two holes in each one)
Directions
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
In the work bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut with the button cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.
Bake cookies for about 10 minutes (depending on size) or until they are firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla and cream until smooth. To assemble, spread peanut butter filling onto the bottom of one cookie and top filling with another cookie. Repeat.
