Peanut Butter Cup Deep Dish Cookies

For the Cookie:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

For the PB Center:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• approx. 1 tbsp. milk (use milk to thin the filling if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease whoopie pie pan.
2. In a stand mixer, combine all of the cookie ingredients with the paddle attachment until a dough forms.
3. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Once those ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add milk 1 tsp. at a time, mixing in between additions, until filling reaches desired consistency (you want it to be thick enough to roll into a ball, but you don’t want it to be too dry).
4. Scoop out two tablespoons (or one very heaping tablespoon) of the chocolate dough into the whoopie pie pan. Press evenly into the mold.
5. Scoop out one tablespoon of the peanut butter filling. Roll into a ball and then flatten in your palms. Place the filling on top of the chocolate dough.
6. Scoop out another heaping tablespoon of the chocolate dough and flatten in between your palms. Gently press over the PB filling and into the mold.
7. Repeat to fill all of the molds in the pan.
8. Bake at 350º for approx. 12 minutes. If an inserted toothpick doesn’t remove cleanly, continue baking for 2-3 minutes at a time until it passes the toothpick test.
9. Serve plain, or frost with chocolate frosting or melting chocolate (pictured).