Loaded Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

There’s no real reason for making these cookies.  No special occasion.  No person to gift them to.  Really, I just wanted to eat them.

I first saw the recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies at Mom on Time Out and had the tab with the recipe pulled up on it since  they were posted a week ago.  Drooling.  I mean seriously… peanut butter, chocolate and Reese’s.  Yes, please!

So yeah… I guess you could say that my drooling was the reason for these cookies.  My family didn’t appreciate my constant salivation…. or having to pass me a tissue every five minutes.

I didn’t have the same mini peanut butter cups that the Mom on Time Out recipe called for… but I did have a bag of Reese’s that were slightly larger.  So… I made due.  Oh… and I added peanut butter chips and espresso and used dark chocolate.

Yeah… you read that right.  ALL that went into these cookies.  Now you see why they’re called Loaded Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.

Enjoy!

PS… these only lasted one day before my family ate them all.  One day.  (I may or may not have eaten 1/2 of them myself.)  Next time… I double this recipe!

Loaded Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
• 1 Tbsp espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I used JIF)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 3 Tbsp warm water
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• peanut butter chips, for garnish (optional)
• 1 8oz bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Unwrapped Mini Cups

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the brown and white sugars. Add the peanut butter and butter and beat on high until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined on medium. Turn mixer to high and beat for 1 minute.
5. Mix in the water.
6. In three parts, add the flour mixture. Mix on medium until the dough comes together. NOTE: It will be thick!
7. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
8. Roll tablespoon size balls of dough in your hand. Press a mini Reese's cup in the center of each ball and press the dough around it.
9. Place the dough ball on the cookie sheet and gently press it so it slightly flattens out. Press a few extra peanut butter chips on top if necessary. (This makes the cookies look pretty!)
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes.
11. Cool on the pan for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0g