Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies

May 2, 2013 By

peanut butter filled chocolate cookies

A lot has been going on lately! Bad (kind of) and good.

I’m still looking for a job, but I quit worrying about it and I know one will come when it’s supposed to.  

We got 3 of our animals at the same time, so they’re all getting old at the same time.  Bad idea.  They’re all 3 having problems at the same time and it’s really wearing on us! But, it’ okay!  Everything will work out and be okay, but it’s sad to see my animals sick.  Our dog, Sunny, has congestive heart failure and she’s been having some seizures lately.  Our cats, Tabby and Chloe are just having various issues that come with age.

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Anyway, good things have been happening lately, too.

I’ve been substitute teaching and it’s been going really well.  I’ve subbed almost every K-12 grade now, so that’s a kind of cool accomplishment.  The little kids are hilarious and I always have funny stories to tell.

Intuitive eating is going really well and it’s completely changed my entire mindset, so I’m feeling great!

Kellen and I had a great time at his formal :

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Annd, lastly, I’ve been baking a lot. These cookies were (obviously) inspired by Reese’s.  I was really craving some chocolate/peanut butter in a cookie form, so I made these.  If you don’t like too much peanut butter in your chocolate, you might want to make your peanut butter balls smaller when you make these!  I am a huge fan of peanut butter, though, so that’s why my peanut butter lumps are so huge.  These are faaantastic cookies!

How do you deal with stressors in your life?

chocolate cookie dough

peanut butter chocolate cookie dough

chocolate sugar cookies

peanut butter filled chocolate sugar cookies

crunchy peanut butter filled fudge cookies

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Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Filling:
  • 1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • Cookies:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a mixer, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar.
  3. Roll into 1 inch balls (or so…smaller depending on your love for peanut butter) and freeze while you make the rest of the recipe.
  4. Beat together sugars, and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  5. Add in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
  6. Form a ball of dough, take a peanut butter ball, and wrap the dough around the ball until the peanut butter is no longer visible.
  7. Do this for all of the cookies.
  8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until dough is still a little gooey, but firm.
  9. Cool and enjoy!
  10. P.s. The dough will be sticky, that’s okay. The cookies will be huge, that’s also okay.

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chocolate cookies filled with crunchy peanut butter

Filed Under: Chocolate, Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting, Peanut Butter Fudge Tagged With: , , , , ,



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Banana Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting + S.A.D. Lightbox Food Photography

February 1, 2013 By

banana bars with peanut butter frosting

I discovered something really great two nights ago when I made these banana bars.

I really wanted to take pictures of them that night, but I’m so terrible at taking light box pictures.  Like, really bad.  They always turn out orange and dark no matter how hard I try.

So I said “see ya” to the light box, but I wanted to try to take a good quality night photo.  I wasn’t going to give up (even though I really sucked.  Seriously).

Anyway,  we have a light box at our house for Seasonal Affective Disorder.  (Side note: I recommend these even if you don’t have SAD…it’s nice to get a little “sun” in the winter time).  I decided that since the light box is supposed to mimic the sun, maybe it has the same sun qualities for food photography.

Welllll… here’s how they  turned out:

uses for overripe bananas

fluffy peanut butter frosting on banana bars

jif peanut butter frosting on banana bars

Pretty good, right?  I mean they’re not super amazing, but none of my photos are professional level anyway.

In conclusion (lol) you should get a Seasonal Affective Disorder light box if you’re wanting to try food photography without natural light.  It’s cheap and you can get more use out of it than just food photos.

Oh yeah, and these banana bars are pretty good, too, but you can’t really go wrong with peanut butter and banana. ;)  Plus, this lovely recipe is from Betty Crocker and she knows dessert.  The fluffy frosting is from AllRecipes.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Banana Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Bars:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Frosting:
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, bananas, oil and eggs with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  3. Spread in pan.
  4. Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  5. Meanwhile, place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer.
  6. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

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SAD lightbox for food photography

Filed Under: Banana, Banana Bread, Bars, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,



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Giveaway Winner + Vanilla Gelato with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache Topping

October 3, 2012 By

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Congratulations to Jennie over at The Messy Baker Blog for winning the Redwood Hill giveaway!

She is a lucky girl!  But, if you didn’t win, don’t worry… I will have more giveaways.

Okay, two really exciting things happened this week:

1.  The president of Micronesia visited my college on Sunday.

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2. I got Homecoming Queen.  Funny story, though… they got two “Homecoming King” sashes, so I got to rep a king sash all night long.  Don’t care!

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Anyway, before it gets too cold, I want to share one more freezing cold recipe with you.

I have eaten Gelato a few times, but this is the first time I had ever made it.  I could not believe how creamy it was.  So decadent and the chocolate peanut butter topping was also smooth and creamy, so there were some nice textures going on.

If you happen to get another unseasonably warm day, I suggest you make this Gelato.

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Vanilla Gelato with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache Topping

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups vanilla Kefir (I’m obsessed with Kefir right now if you can’t tell)
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup creamer
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp oil

Directions:

  1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and Kefir in a medium saucepan. Whisk and heat over medium heat, frequently scraping the bottom, until the mixture begins to barely simmer around the edges.
  2. Then, stirring constantly and scraping the sides and corners of the pan to prevent scorching, let the mixture simmer for 2.5 to 3 minutes to fully cook the cornstarch.
  3. Scrape the hot mixture into the bowl and whisk until well blended
  4. Set in the freezer to cool for about 10-15 min.
  5. When cool, whisk in the frozen yogurt until you get a smooth consistency.
  6. Pour the Gelato mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
  7. Once frozen, melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and oil in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave until melted, about 1 minute.  Whisk until blended and spread evenly on top of the Gelato.
  8. Freeze again until the chocolate layer has hardened.

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Filed Under: Chocolate, Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Fudgy, Ganache, How to Chocolate, Ice cream, Italian, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting, Peanut Butter Fudge



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Peanut Butter Butterfinger Frosted Brownies

July 21, 2012 By

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Okay, I cheated.

I know I’ve said a million times that I hate using box mixes, but I didn’t say I don’t use box mixes.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends made brownies and everyone ate theirs with peanut butter.  Why wouldn’t they?  Peanut butter and chocolate are the ultimate culinary couple.

That’s when I thought, “dduuuhhh, I have to make brownies with peanut butter frosting.”  The Butterfinger’s were just a given.  Why wouldn’t I add them?

So, there’s that.  And then, I fed them to everyone I know and they were devoured isntantly.

These are a definite crowd pleaser.  There’s only a certain few recipes that I’ll make more than once, and this is one.

What’s your favorite way to spice up boxed brownie mixes?

 

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Peanut Butter Butterfinger Frosted Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 2 regular sized Butterfinger’s
  • 9×13 inch pan of brownies (I used Betty Crocker)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner’s sugar.
  3. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream.
  4. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar.
  5. Slowly fold in crushed up Butterfinger’s.
  6. Frost cooled brownies.

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Filed Under: Brownies, Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Fudge, Fudge-like Brownies, Fudgy Brownies, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



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Peanut Butter Frosting Filled Cookies Rolled in Hot Chocolate

July 16, 2012 By

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I’ve made cookies with frosting in the dough before.  I don’t typically like to make the same recipe twice (I know, I’m weird) but the great thing about these that there are so many possibilities.  I mean, you can use any type of frosting you want.

This time, I used peanut butter frosting… uhhhhhhh yum.  Then, I did somethin’ crazy and rolled them in hot chocolate mix.  Like I said, crazy.  Sometimes I worry about myself getting too crazy.  I mean, just yesterday I lost $40 at the the casino.  What’s next?! 

But really, these cookies are super good.  My mom hates peanut butter, but she loved these.  Imagine how much you’ll like them if you love peanut butter.  

What’s your favorite frosting flavor?

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Peanut Butter Frosting Filled Cookies Rolled in Hot Chocolate
Adapted from: The Caramel Cookie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup peanut butter frosting
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot chocolate mix (or enough for rolling)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a cookie sheet or line with a silpat.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In a seperate bowl, mix the frosting, egg, vanilla, and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until well combined.
  5. By tablespoon fulls, roll cookies in hot chocolate mix.
  6. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.  Press on them lightly.
  7.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  They’ll be a tad gooey when you pull them out.

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Filed Under: Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Cookies, Frosting, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Frosting, Vanilla Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,



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Cake Batter Almond (or any other nut) Butter

February 27, 2012 By

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Hooolllllyyyy mooollllyyy!!

I’ve been on an intense search for Biscoff Spread the past two months.

It all started when I was reading a food blog and read about Trader Joe’s “Cookie Butter” about two months ago.  I was intrigued, so I went to the nearest Trader Joe’s (which is about 30 minutes away). My search was cut short when they told me the had just run out of their newest shipment.  My hopes weren’t completely shot; I kept looking online and realized pretty much everyone’s store was sold out.

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That’s when I found out about Biscoff Spread because they’re pretty much the same thing- peanut butter, only not.  Lol.  It’s just a spread that can be used for all of the same things peanut butter is used for and it’s made up mostly of cookies, so it’s definitely not a health food like peanut butter, but it’s worth the health risks! ;)

Anyway, I looked everywhere for Biscoff Spread only to be disappointed again and again.

I’ve actually been looking for the last month and have probably checked a total of 10 stores for this stuff.  I live in a bigger city now, so I obviously checked here, but I also checked in my podunk little hometown.

I went home this weekend to go to see a comedy show– Josh Wolf  and Colin Jost– which was amazing, but that’s a story for another post…ANYWAY, I went home and I was at the store getting ingredients to make a mock Biscoff spread, and Kellen and I turned the corner and Kellen said “Look!” and I screamed (embarrassing) because:

…there it was!

Thank you, LORD!  What are the odds of that happening?  I grabbed two, and it’s been one day and half of the jar is gone.   I’ve had it on oatmeal, ice cream, bananas, and pretzels. I’m pretty obsessed, and that’s saying a lot because my standards for this stuff were extremely high.  There ya have it, my unpaid Biscoff review.

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I still wanted to recreate this for anyone who was like me two days ago (poor, poor people… I can sympathize), but I failed.

Don’t be sad though, because I came up with an even better idea– cake batter butter!

If you’re looking for Biscoff Spread, this is not it, but it is still super delicious.  It tastes like it sounds…awesome and cake batter-y.  I made mine with cinnamon almonds and gluten free cake batter, but you can use any combination you want.  Let your imagination soar!  I’ve been going back and forth between this almond butter and Biscoff Spread all day.  I’m gonna overdose, probably.

Picnik collage

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Cake Batter Almond (or any other nut) Butter

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup cake mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Super simple- mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

cakebatter

Filed Under: Almond, Birthday, Biscuits, Cake, Cake Mix, Cake Mix Cookies, Cookies, Frosting, No Bake, Nut Butter, Nuts, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting, Sugar Cookie, Vanilla



Vanilla Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting

October 10, 2011 By

Vanilla brownies? Whaaatt?

I was feelin’ creative when I made these and thought, “Why not?”

So yes, brownies made with vanilla pudding mix = vanilla brownies.

Add some peanut butter frosting on top and you’ve got yourself a vanilla/chocolate/peanut butter masterpiece. They’re ooey and gooey and awesome.  You really just can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate.  One of my friends who doesn’t like brownies told me he loved it.

I thought I’d give you guys this recipe before I start going crazy with pumpkin/fall/Halloween recipes.  So enjoy it because they’re coming soon.



Vanilla Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients
·         3/4 cup butter
·         3/4 cup white sugar
·         3 eggs
·         2 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
·         1 package vanilla pudding
·         3/4 cup all-purpose flour
·         1/2 teaspoon salt
·         1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
      1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

  2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
  3. Beat in cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, vanilla pudding, and baking powder. 
  4. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared pan.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
  6. Frost with this frosting.


Filed Under: Brownies, Brownies with Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Frosting, Vanilla, Vanilla Brownies, Vanilla Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting