Catching up!

I've done some baking in the past few weeks, but no posting! So, I'm playing a little catch up today.

I attempted my first filled anything. I made "Peanut Butter Filled Dreams," which are my husband's new favorite cookies. You wrap the cookie dough around the filling before baking, so the filling part wasn't too bad.

In the future, I will try sticking the dough in the fridge while making the filling. It was much easier to work with when given the chance to sit - the more it was handled, the sticker the dough got, and was a little harder to work with. I also did not sift, as I have yet to buy a sifter. But it still worked :)

The recipe came from Lynn (heartsfire) on Bakespace
Peanut Butter Filled Dreams

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter - softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sift before measuring)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons granulated sugar for pressing


1. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda to combine; set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1/4 cup peanut butter until combined, scraping sides of bowl occassionally.

3. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until combined.

4. Spoon in as much of the dry flour mixture as you can into the liquid. It will get thick. Stir in remaining flour mixture with a wooden spoon.

5. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. You should have a total of 32. Set aside.

6. For peanut butter filling, in a medium bowl stir together powdered sugar and the 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape mixture into 3/4 inch balls. You should have 32.

7. On a work surface, slightly flatten each chocolate ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Work the chocolate dough over the filling and make sure peanut butter is completely covered. Roll dough into balls.

8. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a small juice glass or jelly jar, dip in sugar and then lightly flatten cookies. A tip is to first tap the cookie with glass to get it a bit sticky - then dip in sugar - then lightly flatten just a touch bit more. You want them a bit plump so don't flatten as you would a peanut butter cookie. These cookies will spread a little as they bake.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until just set and suface is slightly cracked. Allow to cool for a few minutes on sheet before transferring to wire rack.