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Magic in the Middles


Reminiscent of a chocolate peanut butter cup candy (or a buckeye, if you're into homemade candies), this recipe is one that's been making the rounds for years. We guarantee these will disappear in a snap, whatever the audience: from hungry kids after a soccer game, to your co-workers gathered around the office coffeepot! You can see all the steps and read the story behind this recipe at our Baker's Banter blog.

Ingredients

Chocolate Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for dredging)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg

Peanut butter filling

  • 3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth, your choice
  • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2. To make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

3. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine, then

4. stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.

5. To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

6. With floured hands or a teaspoon scoop, roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls.

7. To shape the cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough (a lump about the size of a walnut), make an indentation in the center with your finger and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.

8. Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together cover the center;

9. roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

10. Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

11. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick.

12. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, or until they're set and you can smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Recipe summary

Hands-on time:
45 mins. to 60 mins.
Baking time:
7 mins. to 9 mins.
Total time:
55 mins. to 1 hrs 10 mins.
Yield:
26
Rate recipe
****+
Recipe comments (17) »

Tips from our bakers

  • The most reliable way to make sure you have equal amounts of filling and chocolate dough is to use a cookie scoop. Our teaspoon scoop yields exactly 26 fillings when scooped with the dough level across the top. Our tablespoon scoop when filled level will yield exactly 26 chocolate blobs of dough to match.
  • If you're doubling this recipe, add an extra egg to the chocolate dough.
  • If you're making this dough ahead of time, add an 2 tablespoons of milk to the chocolate dough. It tends to dry out as it sits, and the extra moisture will keep the outside dough from cracking as you form the cookies.

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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cookie
Servings Per Batch 26
Amount Per Serving
Calories 167 Calories from Fat 79
Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 3g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 18mg
Sodium 98mg
Total Carbohydrate 20g
Dietary Fiber 1
Sugars 12g
Protein 4g
* The nutrition information provided for each recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information.

Reviews

*****

11/16/2009

from

The cookies look and turned out awesome! I am vegan... so used margarine and an egg replacer of ground flax and water. Added a splash of milk to wet the batter as well to keep it from cracking. So delicious!!

*****

11/15/2009

from

Have made these twice - 1st time no problems - 2nd time my chocolate dough was more stiff (don't know why) & I couldn't flatten as directed in recipe. HUGE HIT! My husband likes these better than the 1st batch. Our grandchildren think these are the best. I do have one problem with this recipe..... an empty cookie jar! Thanks again KAF.

*****

11/06/2009

Janey from Arlington

These are not gourmet cookies; they're just pure sugary treats, like candy crossed with baked goods, and they're all the better for it. These are a delight to make, especially with friends, and they bake beautifully. I can say confidently that these cookies will be happily devoured by children, United Methodist Women, and grizzled bartenders at dive bars. Strongly, STRONGLY recommended!

*****

10/04/2009

Betsy A from York, PA

While this recipe is a "production', I found it less of an effort to make the peanut butter middles ahead of time and freeze them. I also made the chocolate dough ahead of time and refrigerated it to firm it up. I too added an extra egg to the dough to make it more pliable as suggested by another rater. The cookies turned out moist and rich. It is a recipe I will definitely keep.

*****

09/16/2009

C.B. from Atlanta, GA

These cookies never fail to satisfy (and impress)! I have been making these for years after I found them in KAF's Cookie Companion. I will suggest to make the peanut butter & confectioner's sugar mixture and balls before making the chocolate dough--that will prevent the chocolate dough from drying out. I have also used the tip of putting a splash of milk in the dough to help the dough stay moist and pliable. If the dough is even slightly cracking in your hand, it will be more craggy at the edges of the cookie when you flatten them. I also tend to use slightly more chocolate dough than recommended in the recipe (approx. 1.5 tablespoons), which means that you don't necessarily use all your PB balls, but the task of covering the PB with chocolate is so much easier. If you're making these for a crowd, be sure to double the recipe!
Thanks for the tips! I have been meaning to make these for a LONG time. You have reminded me to pull the recipe out again. Elisabeth @ KAF

*****

08/31/2009

Gwen from NC

Oh my, oh me oh my, I do not have enough willpower to have these cookies in the house. I really should not have discovered this recipe. My edges cracked a bit too. Of course after I made these cookies I saw the note with the recipe that says to add milk if you aren't immediately shaping these. Hey, that's a reason to make another batch, see if I can do it right.

*****

08/18/2009

from

*****

06/26/2009

Dana from Jermyn, PA

Great chocolatey cookie, especially if you like PB. I used whole wheat pastry flour but otherwise followed recipe and was very satisfied with results. They do tend to break a little around the edges- but my boys thought they looked great that way! Maybe adding a tad milk as KA suggests would help, even if not making dough ahead of time. Regardless this is a wonderful cookie.

*****

06/21/2009

Kara from Utah

I made these for my family and they were a huge hit! They are beautiful with the sugar on the outside, and the peanut butter in the middle is just heavenly! I found it was easier to work with the filling if I chilled it for awhile first. We will definitely be making these often.

*****

06/20/2009

Sara from Oklahoma

A tiny bakery in college made these. I was their best customer! Since leaving 10 years ago, I've tried many different times to recreate the cookie. I failed. But YOU did NOT!!!!!! The taste is out of this world! The recipe is very easy to follow. Rolling the balls is a little time consuming, but what from scratch recipe doesn't take some time? Thank you for creating and sharing!!