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.
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.