Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cup Cookies

By erinp

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
• 3/4 stick (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups, divided*

Preparation

Step 1

*Note: I prefer to freeze the peanut butter cups for at least 30 minutes before chopping. It makes them easier to unwrap, easier to cut, and helps them stay intact while you mix them into the dough.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Blend until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add in 1½ cups of the chopped peanut butter cups and fold in gently with a spatula.

Use a large dough scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to drop rounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing 2-3 inches apart. Gently press a few pieces of the reserved peanut butter cups into the top of each of the dough balls. Bake 12-14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. (The cookies may seem too soft immediately after coming out of the oven but they will set as they cool. You don’t want to overbake them.) Let cool on the baking sheets about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.