Peanuts Three Ways Cookies (or Peanut Butter Cup Cookies)

What you see above are the three amazing ingredients that get thrown into some over-the-top delicious peanut cookies.  They contain peanuts in three ways: chopped peanuts, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter cups.  It doesn't take a genius to realize these cookies are going to be good, and they are a lot more unique than the usual peanut butter cup cookie.

 

First start by sifting together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

 

 

In a separate bowl, cream together 2 sicks of butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar for about 3 minutes.

 

Add 1 egg and beat well.

 

Then mix in 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Cookies always need some vanilla.

On low speed, slowly add in your dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

 

Now it's time to get your fillings prepared.  You need 1/2 cup finely chopped, unsalted peanuts.  I couldn't find pre-chopped unsalted peanuts, so I had to do the chopping myself.  

 

Once you chop your peanuts, you need to sift out all the peanut crumbs so that the texture of your cookies isn't off. 

 

 

I really didn't go crazy chopping my peanuts, this is about as fine as I chopped them.  In the cookies it really didn't matter though because it just provides a light crunch.

 

You need almost a whole bag of the mini peanut butter cups.  Well a whole bag minus five or so - just enough to snack on!  20 or so will make 1 1/2 cups.  

 

Make you sure you chill your peanut butter cups so that they don't turn to mush when you chop them.

 

Peanut butter cups are one of my absolute favorite candies to munch on, so any cookie with peanut butter cups is not going to be around long near me.

 

And of course my new favorite ingredient - peanut butter chips - are an important addition.  Apparently my decision to stock up on these was a good one because Safeway is already out!  

 

3/4 cup peanut butter chips, 1 1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups, and 1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts. 

 

Add all those delicious fillings to your plain, boring dough and mix it in gently with a spatula. 

 

Here is what your dough will look like when mixed.  It's amazing how much of the peanut butter from the peanut butter cups shows up.  Nothing like Reese's peanut butter.  

 

Now scoop out rounded teaspoons of the dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  

 

Obviously these cookies come out pretty lumpy due to all the delicious lumpy ingredients, but in a good way!

 

This recipe is courtesy of the Magnolia Bakery cookbook, and I'm happy to bring it to you guys because this recipe is nearly impossible to find online.  I love peanut butter and peanut butter cookies, as do most sane people, and these cookies really take it to the next level.  So go buy some peanut butter cups, try not to eat them all immediately, and make these cookies for someone you love.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
From the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups (about 20 mini cups)
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  In a separate bowl cream 2 sticks softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (roughly 3 minutes).  And the egg and beat well.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and thoroughly mix in.  Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix in at low speed.  With a spatula, mix in 1 1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups, 3/4 cup peanut butter cups, and 1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts.  Bake on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.