Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 6 ounces all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate or 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 to make the cookies: heat the oven to 350°f
• 2 line two baking sheets with parchment. in a medium bowl, sift together the two flours, baking soda and salt.
• 3 in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. add the vanilla and egg; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer (longer by hand). stir in the flour mixture by hand just until it's incorporated; don't over mix or the cookies will be tough. drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter, spaced about 2-inches apart, onto the lined baking sheets. with floured fingers, flatten each dab of batter into a 2-inch round.
• 4 bake until the cookies are puffed and golden, 12- 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets if needed for even baking. transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
• 5 while the cookies cool, make the filling: in a small bowl, cream the confectioners' sugar, butter and peanut butter until smooth. add the heavy cream; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy. stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate.
• 6 to assemble: transfer the cooled cookies to a work surface, flipping half of them over. with an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread a scant teaspoon of filling onto each turned-over cookie. set another wafer on top of each filled cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. store sealed at room temperature or in the refrigerator.