PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

Yield: Yields eighteen 2-1/2-inch sandwiches.

This peanut butter cookie is head and shoulders above the others; it’s a hefty sandwich cookie with great peanut flavor in both the chocolate-flecked cream filling and the crunchy-light cookie. This recipe can be mixed by hand or in an electric mixer—just be sure to use smooth peanut butter rather than chunky. You’ll get good results with Skippy.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 oz. (2/3 cup) cake flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 6 oz. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

For the filling:

• 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 Tbs. heavy cream
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate, or mini semisweet chocolate chips

Nutritional Information

Preparation

To make the cookies

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together the two flours, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer (longer by hand). Stir in the flour mixture by hand just until it’s incorporated; don’t overmix or the cookies will be tough. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter, spaced about 2 inches apart, onto the lined baking sheets. With floured fingers, flatten each dab of batter into a 2-inch round. Bake until the cookies are puffed and golden, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets if needed for even baking. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
  
  Instead of cross-hatching with a fork, use your fingers to press and decorate. 

While the cookies cool, make the filling

• In a small bowl, cream the confectioners’ sugar, butter, and peanut butter until smooth. Add the heavy cream; continue creaming until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate.

To assemble

• Transfer the cooled cookies to a work surface, flipping half of them over. With an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread a scant teaspoon of filling onto each turned-over cookie. Set another wafer on top of each filled cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Store sealed at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
  
  An offset spatula is handy for spreading the cookie filling easily and evenly. A blunt table knife works, too.