Mom and I would add these to the Christmas cookie repertoire every year. Totally addicting and unique, these earned me an award at the University of Miami Law School baking competition. The secret is using quality ingredients like cane sugar and dark brown Muscovado sugar.
PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES
Yields 24 cookies
1/2 cup unsalted Plugra butter, cubed
1 cup Jiff creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (India Tree Muscovado is the best)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped in advance
24-count mini muffin baking pan
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour and baking soda together and set aside. Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Mix in the egg, vanilla and salt. Add the flour and baking soda and beat until incorporated.
Spoon enough dough in each of the ungreased mini muffin pan sections to fill it entirely, shaped flat.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
As soon as you remove the pan from the oven, insert a Reese's peanut butter cup into each cookie while it’s warm.
The cookies can be frozen by letting them cool completely and freezing in layers between wax paper.
