Have I introduced you to my little sister Lauren?
Lauren… this is everyone.
Everyone… this is Lauren.
Lauren and I grew up in the kitchen together. We made brownies, we burnt cookies, we frosted crooked cakes, and we could plow through a box of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch in 10 minutes flat. We were always in the kitchen either creating or consuming. True.
Things aren’t all that different for me and Lauren these days. We spend a lot of time baking up treats, talking about Paula Dean, and arguing about which awkward teenage phase was worse: my Blossom Hat Phase or her Sweatpants and Vest Wearing Phase. Just typing those out… they each seem like equal tragedies. Thank heavens we’ve moved past that.
I’m introducing you to my sister because these two things are true:
1. If Lauren were not in the world, I would surely be unable to breathe… that’s how much I love this girl.
2. I shoved my camera in Lauren’s hands last week, told her to bake something and take pictures of it. In her unending brilliance, she returned to me a camera full of pictures (including the self portrait below) and six of these cookies. Holy heck! A food blogger could get used to this kind of treatment. For real.
Open wide. Nope… wider. And still, just a teensy bit wider. These cookies are a mouthful. A mouthful of holy-heckballs-peanut-butter-heaven. The cookies are crisp and buttery. Combined with the peanut butter filling, I’m pretty sure I nearly put myself in a peanut butter coma. Yes… a peanut butter coma sounds like a good thing. Oh! These cookies are even better if you can get someone else to make them for you. True story.
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
from The Pastry Queen Christmas
makes about 30 sandwich cookies
For the Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Optional Coating:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease with butter or cooking spray.
Using a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium speed until well combined. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Drop the dough by the scant tablespoon full onto a cookie sheet about 1 1/2-inches apart. Use the tines of a fork to press the cookies flat. Bake for 7-10 minutes until the cookies are a deep golden brown along the edges.
To make the filling: Use a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment to beat the butter, peanut butter and heavy cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and beat on medium speed until combined.
To make the coating: Melt the chocolate pieces in the microwave, or over a double boiler. Easy!
To assemble the cookies: Use a spatula or small knife to spread generous amounts of the filling onto the flat bottom of a cookie. Top with another cookie, ridge side up. Set a wire rack on top of a sheet of waxed paper to catch the chocolate drips if you choose to dip your cookies in chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate with chopped nuts immediately after dipping so they stick. Let stand for 1 hour to harden, or pop them in the fridge for a few minutes.
The cookies last up to 3 days in an airtight container, or 2 weeks in a container in the fridge.
Jen
Wow you guys look alike! I mean, of course you do, but it’s kinda cool to see!
Sylvia Bryson
This filling tastes pretty darn close to Reese’s peanut butter cup filling – amazing! Thanks for the great recipe. I’m going to bring a plate of these puppies when I go to go meet my neighbors today.
Rhi
I finally got around to making these… they were absolutely delicious!
Vanessa
I didn’t read all the comments, so maybe someone already requested this: Could you please link to a photo of you in your Blossom Hat Phase and Lauren in the Sweatpants and Vest Phase? Pleeease?
Sue
Question – would these freeze well? I’m trying to decide what to bake for friends and family for a wee Christmas gift. Alternate suggestions would be appreciated.
Love your website Joy. Very useful and very entertaining.
Regards,
Sue
joythebaker
I haven’t frozen these Sue… I always eat them too quickly, but I don’t think there’s anything in them that wouldn’t freeze well.
Patty
Joy The Baker,
I’ve loved you since the day I “found” you, but Lauren, you just made my day! Normally I’m not one to write many reviews or comments, but as I sit here in a PB coma, complete with PB all over my hands, I just had to tell you that I love you both! Thanks for making it even tougher to get rid of the extra Thanksgiving pounds! These little bites of heaven are worth every extra mile on the treadmill :)
betty
these are gorgeous, i’m gonna make them on fri night :)
Heather
Ok Lauren! You out did yourself this time! Great job! These cookies are amazing!
Kirsty_girl
I really need to explore sandwich cookies more. These look amazing. Peanut butter cookies are my favorite and you have made them even better.
dinè
wow, looks amazing!!
Carol
Lauren looks like a great sister.I never had a sister(just two yucky brothers) Ha! Ha!But,all joking aside,sounds like you had much fun growing up.I’m jealous!
I do however,have a daughter named Lauren,and she takes pictures of herself all the time too!:)
Terresa Wellborn
forget the scrambled eggs. I’ll eat these for brekkie anytime!
Heather
ok joy, i cater and i am around food 27-7 but, im telling you now girl, i will be making some of these! they look sweet!
Sues
Awww my sister and I grew up together in the kitchen too, so I can totally relate. And this amazing recipe has been bookmarked! Much like all of the recipes on your blog :)
kellypea
Lovely smiles both! Having done the peanut butter cookie dunked in chocolate and peanuts myself, your sandwich version has me swooning. Fabulous!
Chrys
Ohhhh my!! Thanks for sharing these devilish treats!
Kylie of Thin Crust, Deep Dish
Those look fantastic! I love me some little baby pb cookies, but I’ve never thought to make sandwiches AND dip them in chocolate. Clearly, Lauren is one smart baker.
Sook
My first time here – wow, the sandwich cookies look fabulous! I want a bite of it right now! :)
Frenchie
Sisterly love is really the best kind and if your sister’s love translates to cookies like these, you should definitely keep her around. I cannot wait to try these out, I will make them for my sister, that seems like the right way to pay it forward.
CookiePie
Yum, yum and YUM!!!
on the rocks
looks pretty amazing!
Ariella
Joy!
I know it’s really early for this kind of question, but I was just wondering if you have a favorite Christmas cookie cookbook, or any kind of cookie cookbook with creative recipes.
Thanks!
mamakeith
sisters ARE great when ya finally outgrow the teenage years! ( I have 2 sisters myself) So very nice y’all can hang out n bake!And, as always…..YUUUUUMMMMMMM! PS- u get my email?
doreen
Your sister is adorable and the cookies look mouth-watering good!
Chelsea
Fact: I’d rather be in a peanut food coma than the Tuesday coma I’m in at work!
Those look delish!
annette
Your parents sure made cute and adorable babies that grew up so talented! Missing my sister now (sad face). Totally loving the “new” peanut butter cookie bites. Thanks, Lauren, for the scrumptious recipe. I’m going to make it for our neighborhood Halloween Party, Saturday!
Happy Halloween and have some fun!
Kelly
Yeah for sisters and yeah for these cookies! Amazing!
Ali G
I am a choco-peanut butter fanatic!! Looks amazing – and so does everything else!
Nik
Awww she is as adorable as you are Joy! Lucky to have such a sweet sister. Wish mine was half as nice! *hugs*
bakingblonde
They look bitesized and way too cute to pass up!
Thanks for the cute post.
Dani
Your sister is beautiful! These cookies sound fantastic! I don’t have a sister, but cooking and baking together are treasured in my family by my mother, me, my daughter, and now my granddaughter & grandson. I LOVE it!
Rachel
Thanks for the recipe! Made it tonight and I’m very very sugared out :)
In retrospect, I should have made each cookie way smaller and thinner… for next time!
Peggy
Well I have 3 sisters (one of them being a twin) and when you said that part about not being able to breathe, it got me a little melancoly. They live a nine hout drive away (or it should read that I live a nine hour drive away since I’m the one that left Canada for New England). Although I talk to them weekly or so and visit from time to time, I miss the day to day.
We never baked together. I picked it up later. I did tell them about this site when I found it and assembled a cookbook for each of them with my favourite recipes. I sometimes wish I were there so I could bake with them these days. I’ll get back there someday.
Thanks for the sentiment … and the recipe (all the recipes !!)
EB
Could she be any cuter?
Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com
Sisters are a gift. I am the same without my younger sister Brooke, If she wasn’t around I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I can’t say she has ever baked me anything though…which is a pitty.
Veronica
I loved this comment you said about your sister: “If Lauren were not in the world, I would surely be unable to breathe… that’s how much I love this girl.” I do not have a sister. I have two younger brothers, whom I love very much (just in case they come across this comment! hahaha j/k). But I have always yearned to have a sister. Now I have a son of my own and two daughters. The girls are just 2 years apart and they play together and they fight with each other. I am one lucky girl to have them in my life. You two are also very lucky to have each other. :)
Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home
This post almost brought a tear to my eye! It brought back memories of 80s/90s kitchen shenanigans with my 2 sisters. I never had a Blossom hat phase but I did have a terrible neon pink/neon green/slap bracelet phase. Oh the mistakes we make.
ps: Little sister Lauren – how do you get your hair to look so lovely? My unruly curly hair is jealous (and angry that I flat iron it to within an inch of its life.)
Rose
YUM! and YAY for siiiiisters! I love mine and wouldn’t trade her for the world. Although, if you’d asked me to at age 10-15 I would happily have given her away ;) Such is youth!
Deborah
The cookies still look great but I had the wrong blog/connection with your sister. LOL
A different sister and blog…this one in Chicago.
Erica from Cooking for Seven
Thanks for introducing us to your sister!
Those cookies look awesome. Some friends made PB sandwich cookies once – very good.
Ah, honey roasted peanuts. It is hard to resist those.
Dana Bailey
Hi Lauren! Your cookies look very nice!
lisaiscooking
These cookies look like perfect little bites of goodness. I want some right now!
Greg
I’m so trying these soon…
jess
I totally went through a “blossom hat” phase!
I am dying to try those cookies, they look divine.
Michelle
Oh, I love my sisters to bits too. I wish everyone had a sister.
Anyway…
I also love the sound and look of those cookies! And what a very cool pic she took of herself with her chin on the counter. That’s awesome.
Debbe
I also couldn’t breathe without my sister. We had a choice as kids, one clean the other start dinner. She hated cooking and I hated cleaning, problem solved. Unfortunately, these carried on into adulthood. These cookies sound so ummmmmmm, can’t wait to try them. Then I might give her one. Your sister is beautiful!
Dajda
Yes, sisters are the best thing in the world!
megan
These look awesome! My husband, unfortunately, does not like peanut butter cookies (is that even possible?). but these would be great to bring into work. coworkers love treats! :)
Victoria
These cookies look amazing! Baking and picture taking are obviously genetic gifts! Your sister has amazing skin by the way, she’s gorgeous.
The Nomadic Gourmet
I absolutely love peanut butter cookies. But I’ve never seen them with a filling or a coating before. That’s gotta taste good :)
Mondo
ok…seriously…I need to make these cookies. peanut butter and chocolate? fuggedaboutit! plus, the chocolate coating? I’m all over it!
Cara
Those peanut butter cookies look fantastic! I’ve got all of The Pastry Queen’s cookbooks, and the recipes are great. I’ve had my eye on those cookies for a while now. :)
Sarah Jackson
You guys are identical twins. Adorable identical twins.
anja
she`s a beauty and so are the cookies:) !!
Kristin
These cookies look like they are going to be my new weakness! They look AMAZING! The photos are great too…love the one of the bottom half of Lauren’s face…such a cute pic! So ya, I’m gonna be making these THIS week!!!
xoxo
Kristin from Bitchin’ Kitchen
stef
hurray for little sisters! and yours is super cute :) thanks for the great recipe!
micah rose
I LOVE PB cookies.
Nice post…I have to admit…sometimes I need to take a break from the internet but I never take a break from this blog. I LOVE it!
Marina
Hmmmmmmmm peanut butter!!
Your sister looks adorable just like you! :)
Dolce
Hi Lauren! Nice to “meet” you :)
And thanks for the great recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
Yolanda
I have been making an obnoxious amount of peanut butter-chocolate desserts lately. Time to make another. BTW, Lauren looks a lot like what I picture my daughter looking like in 20 years. Same curly hair, green eyes, latte-colored skin. And Blossom hats?! I had about 15. Wore a different one every day.
pity
wonderfull recipe, it realy looks delicious, thanks your is for her contribution, cheers from london,
Vicki
She’s adorable! How lucky you both are to be sisters.
And those cookies aren’t bad lookin’ either.
Deanna
Those look delicious and prefect Christmas cookies!
Annie
really delicious!!!!!! I love this cookies!! ;o)
Alyssa
I am so bookmarking this recipe. My soon-to-be 17-yr old daughter can’t decide if she wants cookies or cupcakes for her birthday party, and even if she doesn’t choose the cookies, I’ll be making these soon I think.
Cor
Huh… I regret the whole spiral perm idea during elementary school. some people are not meant to have super curly hair (and I am one.) it got chopped off after that fiasco.
But one thing I love is sharing kitchen secrets with my big sis. She may live 5000 miles away, but with the beauties of the internet, I get awesome recipes that are tropical and uniquely hers.
Thanks for introducing us to your sister and these cookies look amazing. They may be added to the Christmas cookie gift bags this year, next to your chocolate sandwich cookies!
Ellen
this is such a cute post. when i opened this and saw her photo at the top, i just knew it was your sister! you guys look so much alike.
these look a lot like nutterbutters… only unlike nutterbutters, i’m sure i won’t be disappointed by the lack of peanut-buttery-ness! and i am digging the chocolate dipped idea. genius.
Kelley
…unable to breathe is exactly how I feel about my twin sister…your post couldn’t have come on a better day.
katie
I would have to agree that having a sister is super awesome! I think a lot of people went through the blossom hat phase and just thinking about it totally makes my 6am Monday :)
Astrid
Joy! This was an adorable post. It really makes me wish that I had a sister that I could have cooked and bake with (and still cook and bae with). Oh well, there are always kids. A daughter for my kitchen partner could be an awesome idea!
Hopw you are having a great morning and an awesome Monday.
Laurel
I laughed out loud at the Blossom hat and the vest/sweatpant combo . . . oh, boy do I remember those days of awkwardness well!
I just tried two types of peanut butter cookies this weekend. One used olive oil instead of butter and maple syrup instead of sugar. The other was one of yours–the 1C PB, 1 C sugar (I used white and brown), 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla. Everyone raved about them–I kept quiet on how easy they are! I might add vanilla in the future.
These look wonderful as well–you cannot go wrong with PB! Thanks Joy (and Lauren) for starting my Monday with a laugh and great recipe!
Jeanie
I love peanut butter!! I will go to my grave wishing that I had a sister. Thank goodness I had a daughter AND she is a great baker!
Deborah
I heard about your blog from my husband who works with your sister. (I think that is the connection. Anyway, I am now a follower. Those cookies look awesome and I think I can smell them. UMMMMMM!
Amy
I wouldn’t be able to breath without my sister, either. Or peanut butter.
zarpandit
awesome cookies! :) little sister = pretty pretty pretty! :)
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Your sister is beautiful, Joy! And the cookies look incredible. Anything with peanut butter…I’m in!!!
peachkins
these cookies look really ..mmmmmmmmmmmmmm….
Laura
I’m so excited to try this peanut butter recipe! Looks amazing.
The most awkward phase my eldest sister ever went through would have to be the triple-decker socks…you know, when you would put on three different pairs and scrunch them to different heights so they looked like an ice cream cone?
Also, I believe that bump-its and Ugg boots are going to be deeply regretted in a few years.
Thanks for posting the family memories and the recipe!
Melissa
LOL..I couldn’t agree more!! Bump-its..a tragedy waiting to happen.