Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

What is there to say about these cookies? The title is alluring enough for me, but if you need more convincing, what if I told you that the edges are crispy while the middle is chewy; they are delicious both right out of the oven and after they've cooled down; and the dark brown sugar that is used adds a depth of flavor to these cookies that is really tasty. (I'm not gonna lie - using the dark brown sugar was a little scary and left me wondering if I had screwed everything up by not using good, old, reliable light brown sugar. Turns out, I was worrying needlessly.) If you don't have dark brown sugar, these cookies will still be delicious with light brown sugar substituted, I assure you.

I used a little package of mini peanut butter cups I picked up at Trader Joe's (what don't they carry?!), but this recipe would work splendidly with those new mini Reese's cups, or even the regular traditional sized, just cut into smaller chunks.

Serve warm or cold with a tall glass of milk. Sigh a happy sigh. Repeat.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Yield: 18 large- / 36 regular-sized cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 12 oz. package mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped, and chopped if not already bite-sized)

Preheat oven to 325°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicon mat. Place butter and sugars in a mixer bowl, mix on medium high until well-combined, 2-3 minutes. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Stir in peanut butter cups until distributed. Chill dough 15 minutes.

Scoop 1/4-cup dough balls onto a lined baking sheet (if making large). Bake 11-15 minutes, until the edges brown and the center is still soft. Let cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Source: Slightly adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies