Magic Middles

I wanted to make these cookies yesterday and was shocked that I hadn't put them on the recipe blog yet.  These were always a favorite growing up! Soft chocolate cookie with creamy peanut butter goodness magically on the inside.  Recently starting a gluten free diet, I wanted to test out my new "all purpose flour" to see how it would transfer to a cookie.  I figured a cookie with creamy peanut butter filling would be a good gateway to gluten free cookies because the peanut butter part should be enough to overthrow anything that could possibly go awry, right?  Turns out, I was right! While the unbaked dough by itself tasted AWFUL (very bitter), the baked cookie magic was delicious!  If you had never had these cookies, I'm sure you wouldn't even be able to know they were gluten free.  As a disclaimer, the GF ones had a slightly different taste (not quite as sweet), but the texture was spot on and the taste was very close to the regular version!
See, they even look the same! The ones with colored sugar sprinkles are regular (from Christmas baking), the ones without are GF.  Same same.  Win Win.  :)

If you are not worried about eating gluten free, go ahead and use the same amount of regular all purpose flour. I used Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour and was happy with the outcome.

Magic Middles

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Chocolate Cookie:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Filling:

3/4 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl beat the sugar, brown sugar, butter, and 1/4 cup peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Stir in flour, cocoa, and baking soda until blended. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine filling ingredients, blending well.

Roll into 30 (1 inch) balls. Shape about 1 tbsp of chocolate dough around peanut butter filling, covering completely. I do this by flattening a ball of chocolate dough in my hand, placing the peanut butter ball in the middle, and then folding all around to cover and rolling into a ball shape.

Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes or until set and slightly cracked.

Cool on wired racks.

Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies, yum yum yum. Sugar cookies, I'd like one.

SUGAR COOKIES

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1/2 cup margarine

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Mix margarine, shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend in flour, baking powder, and salt. Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick onto lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes.

Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes.

Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

My recipe of the week is not a main dish, though these are so addicting that they can become the main dish if you're not careful. I just whipped up a mint batch of these for my Relief Society cookie exchange going on tonight and I know they'll be a hit.

Because it's the holidays (and because I think I like it better than the regular version), I have included the mint variation. Happy holiday baking!

Oreo Truffles

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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 (16 oz) package Oreo cookies
12 oz. chocolate of your choice (white candy chocolate recommended)

Finely crush Oreo cookies and reserve ¼ cup.

Mix cream cheese and crushed Oreo cookies until well blended. Let mixture sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Shape mixture into small balls and put back in fridge for 1 hour or freezer for ½ hour. Can keep in fridge or freezer longer if desired. (I’ll let mine sit in the freezer overnight)

Coat balls in melted chocolate and sprinkle with reserved ¼ cup crumbs to garnish. Refrigerate until firm. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Mint Oreo Truffle variation:
Because the Mint Oreo cookies have more creme filling than regular Oreos, either use less cream cheese (6 oz. or so), or remove the creme filling from 10 cookies when finely crushing. Dip in melted semi-sweet chocolate chips with a little oil to make the chocolate smoother. Garnish by drizzling with melted green mint chips.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

I found these delights at the luncheon from Dustin's cousin's baptism just a few weeks ago. A-maz-ing. I hunted down the maker of these treats to get the recipe and was so happy I did! The recipe calls for Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough (it's from the Pillsbury Cookbook 2007), but I used my own favorite peanut butter cookie recipe and they turned out fantastic! Hit me up with an email (briannecreer@gmail.com) if you need that recipe too if I don't get it on the blog before you need it :) While making these, I also discovered that this makes a LOT of the chocolate topping part, so in my blog version of the recipe, I am halving that amount. If you would like to make your own peanut butter cookies and make extra cookies that are normal cookies (not cups), use 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup peanut butter and top your cookies with the chocolate goodness! We did that and it was great!

Also, I realized that my recipes aren't very printer friendly, but as we are poor and can't afford to buy a pdf maker to make these all super blog legit, you all have to suffer. I'm sorry, really I am. Maybe if I some day become a great blogger of delicious foods and can afford those kind of technical luxuries, then I will. But until then, use your laptop or iPad in your kitchen, or copy and paste into Word and print from there. Those are my suggestions :)

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE CUPS

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1 Roll Pillsbury or other peanut butter refrigerated cookie dough (or insert one batch of your favorite peanut butter homemade cookies! For 24 cookies)

1 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2-4 Nature Valley Oats and Honey Crunchy granola bars (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Divide cookie dough and press into greased mini-muffin pan with cookies up the side and pushed down in the middle. Bake for 10-15 minutes until deep golden brown.
Cool 5 minutes on wire racks.

With end of a wooden spoon, push down in center to create cups (push down all the way to the bottom. Trust me, you won't make a hole in the bottom, and this will allow enough room for all the inside goodness!)

Melt white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup peanut butter on low until creamy. Stir thoroughly to incorporate peanut butter and white chocolate. Pour into cookie cups. Refrigerate for 10 mins.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup peanut butter together. Pour over cookies.

Optional: Sprinkle with crushed up Nature Valley Bars while chocolate is still melted.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Push down and twist to get out.

Enjoy!

Cake Mix Cookies

CAKE MIX COOKIES

1 box cake mix (any flavor)
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. May frost once cooled if desired.

*I keep losing this recipe so I thought it needed to go on the blog stat before I lost it again :)

*Favorite combinations include rainbow chip cake mix with rainbow chip frosting!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Bars

Photo courtesy of Russell Jack. These are my actual finished products.

This recipe comes from Jared's 9th grade foods class. I was impressed by it. :)

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1 package semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups oats

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with peanut butter. Beat in sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add flour, soda, and salt. Add oats. Press about 3/4 of the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Spread melted chocolate chips over the top. Crumble remaining peanut butter mixture over the chocolate. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 mins.

Makes about 24.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is the best peanut butter cookie I've EVER had! The dough is amazing on its own as well!

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1/2 c. margarine

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375. Combine margarine and peanut butter. Add sugars, salt, egg, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Shape into 1" balls and place on baking sheet. Flatten in a criss-cross pattern with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake for 9-10 minutes.

Yield: 2 dozen

Enjoy!