Million Dollar Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Since the Pillsbury Bake-Off® has been such a big part of my life lately, I’ve decided to make a few of the finalist’s recipes. Before I do that, though, we are going to go back to the last Bake-Off®, in 2008, and get a little inspiration from the winning recipe, Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies.
Now I remember when this cookie won, it got a lot of flack. A million dollars for a peanut butter cookie? How could that be? Well, I am here to tell you that that cookie is worth every dime. It is genius---a crunchy peanut butter cookie with a creamy filling, rolled in cinnamon sugar. The only problem is that I can’t always find the refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough at the store. So leave it to me to make an easy recipe more complicated. Here is my version of Carolyn Gurtz’s Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies:
Million Dollar Peanut Butter Cookies
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Filling:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- Cookies:
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 375º F. In small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside (The original recipe has chopped peanuts--I omitted those.)
In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into a log. Cut log into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; set aside.
Forming a "log" and cutting it into 24 pieces makes it easier to end up with the right amount.
It looks a little like peanut butter fudge, doesn't it?
Cream together the shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into the peanut butter mixture. Roll dough into a log (like the refrigerated dough--it works, I'm telling ya).
You can refrigerate the "log" if you want the dough to be a little more firm. I find that this recipe isn't real sticky, so I don't.
Cut the roll of cookie dough into 12 pieces, then cut each piece in half. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Carefully shape the dough around the peanut butter filling. Don't squish it too much or you won't get the nice creamy center.
Roll each covered ball in cinnamon/sugar mixture, covering completely. On ungreased large cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Using a drinking glass, flatten each ball to 1/2 inch thickness with bottom of the glass. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon/sugar over the tops of cookies.
Again, don't press down too hard or the center will become one with the dough--you won't get the creaminess.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered.
Whether you make these from scratch or with the refrigerated dough, be prepared to hand out copies of the recipe---people love 'em!