Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This cookie recipe that I'm featuring is one of my top 3 favorite holiday cookies ever!

My mom made it one Christmas and I've never forgotten it. 

I mean look at it, this is a decorative cookie that can be used for either

Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas.

And it's incredibly DELICIOUS.

No joke!

Ingredients:

makes 3 dozen

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or butter shortening

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

11/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 cups finely chopped peanuts

36 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped
1/3 c peanut butter chips

 Instructions:

1. Microwave 1 c chocolate chips and 2 squares (1 oz each) baking chocolate for 2 minutes. 
2. Repeat until smooth (or melt on rangetop in small saucepan on very low heat).  
3. Allow chocolate to cool slightly.
4.  In a separate bowl combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. 
5. Beat 1 c sugar and 1/2 c butter.  Beat in 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla.
6. Add melted chocolate slowly.  Mix until well blended.
7. Stir in 1 1/2 c + 2 Tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda. 
8. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Roll in nuts.
9. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  
11. Immediately after taking out of oven, Press peanut butter cup into center of each cookie
12. Cool 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Drizzle

1. Place 1/3 c peanut butter chips in heavy resealable sandwich bag. Seal. 
2. Microwave for 1 minute.  Knead bag.  
3. Repeat until smooth.
4. Cut tiny tip off corner of bag. Squeeze out and drizzle over cookies. 

Instructions with pictures

Microwave 1 c chocolate chips and 2 squares (1 oz each) baking chocolate for 2 minutes. 

Repeat until smooth (or melt on rangetop in small saucepan on very low heat).  

Allow chocolate to cool slightly.

 In a separate bowl combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. 

Beat 1 c sugar and 1/2 c butter.  Beat in 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla.

Add melted chocolate slowly.  Mix until well blended.

Stir in 1 1/2 c + 2 Tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Roll in nuts.

Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Immediately after taking out of oven, Press peanut butter cup into center of each cookie

Cool 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Drizzle

Place 1/3 c peanut butter chips in heavy resealable sandwich bag. Seal. 

Microwave for 1 minute.  Knead bag.  

Repeat until smooth.

Cut tiny tip off corner of bag.
Squeeze out and drizzle over cookies.