Magic Peanut Butter Middles

Some friends of mine are moving to a new apartment (in the same building but it still counts) so I thought I would make some cookies to bring as a housewarming snack. I wanted to try something new and I found a recipe for Magic Peanut Butter Middles on Allrecipes.com. Chocolate cookies with a surprise peanut butter center? I had to try it.

I figured it would be easier to work with the middles if I chilled them so after mixing together the peanut butter and confectioner's sugar for the centers I popped them in the freezer to harden a bit while I made the dough for the outside.

One of the reasons I really like websites like allrecipes.com and eatingwell.com is because often on recipes there will comments from other people who have already cooked it. I try to read through a couple before I make something to see what other people suggest. Some people suggested adding mini-chocolate chips to make the outside dough more chocolate-y, as well as some sour cream to make it a bit richer, so I did both. I had to add a lot of extra flour until it got to the right consistency, but it worked.

In order to work with the dough even though it was still a bit sticky, I just floured my hands. That way the dough could stay moist. I patted out a flat circle of the chocolate dough and put a cool peanut butter center in the middle and then rolled it up into a ball. I actually forgot to flatten the first batch before putting it into the oven, but I took them out before they were done and flattened them with no harm done.
I love that you can't see the peanut butter center at all from the outside, but there is a significant amount on the inside. When my mom first bit into one her reaction was "How did you do that??"

There is a good balance between the peanut butter center and the chocolate dough. The mini-chocolate chips melted so they are smooth chewy cookies with no crunch. I just wish they were a tiny bit more chocolately. If I were to make them again I think I might melt some chocolate chips and drizzle them on top of each cookie just to give it a tiny bit of something extra.

I brought a plate to my friends' new apartment and they were eaten quickly and with kind compliments. Relatively easy and delicious cookies with a big reaction. A+!