Chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies are chewy, creamy, and chock full of those two flavors that make my heart sing.
Happy Thursday! How’s your week going? I heard the other day that California is no longer in a drought because we’ve had SO MUCH RAIN. . .so basically my week is great. Californians will have to find a new topic of conversation and I really hope it’s totally unrelated to weather. Or lack of weather.
Naturally, I baked cookies to celebrate. All celebrations in my life require baked goods. I find myself celebrating Tuesdays just so I have an excuse to bake.
And sometimes I bake something thinking it’s going to be the best recipe ever and I can’t wait to taste it because I just KNOW it will be life-changing. And then I take a bite and just kind of think “blah.”
These cookies were at first “blah” for me. Really, really super good! But not the life-changing cookies I thought they’d be. I mean, chocolate and peanut butter can’t be wrong or boring or anything like that. But I was thinking these would be more than not-boring.
After that bite I considered tweaking them a little more just to take them to another level of perfection. So I put them in the freezer and considered my options. I could change the filling a little. Maybe something salty? Or I could make the cookies smaller, more of a one-bite thing. I decided to sleep on it.
The next afternoon I needed something sweet and of course I gravitated to the only cookie currently residing in my freezer. AND OH MY GOSH. Frozen, peanut butter sandwich cookies are EVERYTHING.
The filling firms up (duh, Kelsie, that’s what happens when things freeze) and the peanut butter cookies go from chewy to crunchy, making the most satisfying bite you can imagine, texturally speaking. And the peanut butter flavor is even more pronounced right out of the freezer. Guys, SO GOOD! (I swear my capital letters don’t mean I’m yelling at you. I’m just really REALLY excited.)
The chew from the cookie and the creaminess from the filling are fantastic when the cookie is at room temp, but they’re just that much better when frozen. You guys, it’s amazing.
So while you don’t HAVE to freeze them because they’re great as is, I highly recommend freezing. Another reason to freeze: you might forget they’re in there and discover them one evening while you’re desperately searching for ice cream ‘cause it’s been one of those days.
Surprise cookies in the back of the freezer are the highlight of my day.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 2/3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick-cooking)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup crunchy natural peanut butter, well mixed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Peanut butter cookies: Sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl. Stir in the oats and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until very fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop the mixer as necessary to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Turn mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto lined sheets. (You should have about 48 cookies.) Do not smoosh the cookies down; they will flatten as they bake. Refrigerate the scooped cookies for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange 8 cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving the rest of the cookies chilling in the fridge while they bake. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove cookies to rack to cool completely. Repeat this process with remaining cookies. Allow the cookies to cool completely before filling them.
- Chocolate peanut butter filling: Place heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat until it’s just steaming. Place chocolate and peanut butter in a small mixing bowl and pour the heavy cream over it. Allow to sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.
- Beat cooled ganache with an electric mixer set to low for 2 minutes. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high. Ganache is ready to use once it is light and fluffy.
- Spread or pipe filling onto half of the cookies and top each with another cookie. Serve and enjoy. (I recommend storing them in the freezer. They taste even better when they’re frozen solid.)
Adapted from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook
Kelsi, I love your blog and the humor, NOw for the big question. What do you do with all of these cookies, etc you bake?
If you give them to friends, sure wished I lived next to you. ( just humor).
I have tried some of the recipes and loved them, then finally had to stop since I was eating them..
Your Friend from Eugene
Helen Worthington
Hi Helen! Thank you so much! I give most of the stuff I bake away; if I still lived up there I’d be more than happy to deliver treats fresh to your door :). I’m glad you like the recipes you’ve tried!
i love celebrations as justification to bake (: and i really love the sound of surprise cookies in the back of the freezer on a tough day! i usually don’t think to freeze baked goods (i try to give them away before they stay in the house too long, or else bad things happen), but maybe i should.
Thank you Heather! I give the majority away too–if not, I’d never fit into my clothing. But if I can freeze them long enough to forget they’re there then I’m good :).
That is such a great idea. no wonder you love them so much!
Thank you so much Tania!
I can never get enough chocolate and peanut butter in my life! It’s a classic combination for a reason! These cookies won’t stand a chance in my house! Love them!!
Right? Chocolate + pb = HEAVEN! Thank you Annie!
As a lover of soft cookies, I think I would try an in between move. I could freeze wafers of frosting to sandwich between the cookies when ready to eat!
Ummmmm, you’re clearly a genius and we need to be friends! I never would have thought of freezing just the filling. LOVE that idea! Thank you 🙂