Description
Soft peanut butter cookies decorated with miniature chocolate peanut butter cups, piped chocolate legs, and candy eyes for an easy and playful Halloween dessert.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup conventional creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
24 miniature chocolate peanut butter cups, unwrapped
3/4 cup semisweet melting wafers or chocolate chips
48 candy eyes
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and unwrap the miniature peanut butter cups.
2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Beat the softened butter and creamy peanut butter together for about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar, then beat for about 2 minutes until slightly lighter and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix only until no dry flour remains.
6. Divide the dough into 24 tablespoon-size balls. Roll each ball in the additional granulated sugar and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look softly set. The tops should appear dry with a few small cracks.
8. Immediately press one miniature peanut butter cup, wide side down, into the center of each warm cookie.
9. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
10. Melt the semisweet melting wafers or chocolate chips in short microwave intervals, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds until smooth.
11. Transfer the melted chocolate to a small piping bag or zip-top bag and cut a very small opening.
12. Pipe four chocolate legs on each side of every peanut butter cup body. Use small dots of melted chocolate to attach two candy eyes.
13. Let the decorated cookies rest until the chocolate is completely firm before serving or storing.
Notes
Use conventional no-stir creamy peanut butter for the most predictable cookie shape and texture.
Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top. Too much flour can produce dry, crumbly cookies.
If the dough feels unusually soft or oily, refrigerate it for 20 minutes before shaping.
Do not overbake. The centers should remain soft when the cookies leave the oven and will firm as they cool.
Unwrap the miniature peanut butter cups before baking so they can be pressed into the cookies immediately.
Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
Freeze decorated or undecorated cookies for up to 2 months.
This recipe contains peanuts, wheat, milk, egg, and possibly soy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 decorated cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg