Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine chocolate in bowl and microwave at 50% for about 2 minutes, stir and repeat until smooth and melted. Cool slightly.

Combine sugar and butter or shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until blended and crumbly. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then salt and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add chocolate slowly. Mix until well blended. Stir in flour and soda with spoon until well blended. Dough should be able to be picked up and shaped into 1-1/4 inch balls, if not add a bit more flour.

Roll balls lightly in chopped peanuts. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Press a FROZEN (this is very important, because they will melt otherwise) peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Press cookies up against peanut butter cup if desired for appearance, but do not touch the peanut butter cup again since it is now melted, it must remain intact. Cool completely.

Melt the peanut butter chips and place them in a plastic bag and snip the corner off one of the bottom edges. Drizzle over cookies. Repeat with the chocolate, only drizzling at another angle from the peanut drizzle.

Author's Comments

Adapted from a Blue Ribbon Winner from the Arizona State Fair. Recipe by Maria Baldwin of Mesa, AZ and adapted by "Richard in Cincy" from Gail's Recipe Swap at Epicurious.com.

These cookies are so gorgeous that your friends and family will think you bought them from a bakery. They're also absolutely delicious, but very rich.

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