Ingredients
- For the Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, like Crisco
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- For the Filling
- 2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Coarse salt, to taste (I like quite a bit for the contrast)
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high-speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
To make the filling: Put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high-speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners’ sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, as needed.
Assemble cookies: Slather filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.