Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies

OMG, don’t you just want to lick your screen? I know I do. What I’d really like to do is head downstairs to the kitchen and snack on one of these babies while I tell you about them, but I can’t. They’re all gone.

I had pulled this recipe out of my to-try pile a few weeks back, putting it more towards the top of the pile because I thought it would be a good recipe for Nick to make (and eat!). A friend mentioned recently that he is partial to sweets that have peanut butter in them, so I remembered this recipe and finally got Nick busy baking.

The recipe comes from the November 2008 issue of Better Homes & Garden magazine.  The cookie part is your basic criss-crossed fork tine peanut butter cookie recipe, nothing out of the ordinary there.  But smack two of them together with some creamy peanut butter filling in between and you have a whole different animal.

The farmer’s market that we go to has a bakery that sells their goods there and they make a Nutter Butter cookie that is to-die-for.  I mean, honestly, it illicits moans with the very first bite.  Their cookie is much flakier, lighter and has oats in it.  This filling could definitely pass for what they use, so I’m on a mission (all in the name of research for you guys!) to find a recipe to recreate the cookie part.  This isn’t it, but still delicious nonetheless.

People’s tastebuds always interest me.  More so in how different they can be.  I took a plate of these to the office, and they were gone the same day.  I think that might be the fastest something has disappeared from there.  But the peanut-butter loving friend’s feedback?  He said they were good, but rich.  I don’t know if rich is the word I would use to describe these, but you definitely have to like peanut butter.  I mean, really,  two peanut butter cookies sandwiching a layer of peanut butter cream, there’s no getting away from it.  But as long as you’re a pb fan, you’re golden.  Nice crunch to the cookie, creaminess from the inside, just all around good.  Happy munching!

Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies
Recipe courtesy of November 2008

• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1  tsp. baking soda
• 1/8  tsp. salt
• 1-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• 1  recipe Peanut Cream Filling, below

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl beat peanut butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in baking soda, salt, and as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Form dough into balls, using a level teaspoon each. Place 1-1/2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten by making crisscross marks with tines of fork dipped in sugar.

3. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

4. Spread one teaspoon Peanut Cream Filling on flat side of half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Freeze unfilled cookies up to 1 month. Makes about 4 dozen sandwich cookies.

Peanut Cream Filling:In medium bowl whisk together 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 3/4 cup marshmallow creme, 3 tablespoons milk, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I confess I skipped the cumin.  Just couldn’t bring myself to add it). Gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.

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