Peanut Butter Blossom Surprises

I LOVE SURPRISES!

I think everyone has had a peanut butter blossom cookie at one point in their life. You know, it's the peanut butter cookie with the Hershey's Kiss on the top. As simple as they are, they are always a hit during the holidays or whenever I make them. I could spend all day baking up a batch of the most decadent and time consuming cookie recipes and put them side by side with the peanut butter blossoms and the blossoms always win!

So I don't fight it anymore, I just make them and watch 'em go! I wanted to give the recipe a little twist however by adding a little surprise in the center instead of the kiss on the top.

So I filled each cookie with Nutella! (Chocolate hazelnut spread for those of you who have not had the pleasure.) All I can say is... They rock.

Peanut Butter Blossom Surprises

• Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
  
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar
  

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Once shaped, press your finger in the middle of the cookie to form a small opening. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella into the opening. Close the opening by pressing the dough back together and reshape into a ball. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Jaswell Farms Chocolate Chip Cookies

In Honor of Fat Tuesday!

I had made these cookies once before and really liked them. This Christmas I decided to make a double batch so I could give them out as gifts. The recipe is quite large to begin with, so a double batch was a little hard to work with. I managed however.

Actually I made so much of this cookie dough that I wrapped up a log of raw dough and froze it. I took it out tonight and baked up a batch in honor of FAT TUESDAY! I did my share of indulging, so much so that tomorrow for me it's FAT PANTS WEDNESDAY...

The only thing that I would change in this recipe is the addition of vanilla. I forgot to add it to mine and I did notice it missing. That's because I love vanilla and wouldn't normally make a cookie without.

Jaswell Farms Chocolate Chip Cookies1 2/3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups margarine
1/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla (my addition)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoon molasses
2 eggs
2 cups milk chocolate chunks (I used chips)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, I didn't use any nuts)

Beat together margarine, sugar, and oil until fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses, then add flour and baking soda. Mix in milk chocolate chunks and nuts. Scoop cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper). Flatten each scoop of dough and bake.

Jaswell Farm makes big cookies, using two ounces of dough per scoop. You might want to use just a tablespoon for each. (That's what I did)

They bake the large cookies at 325 degrees in a convection oven for 20 minutes.
For conventional ovens and a tablespoon of dough, cook at 350 degrees and start to check for doneness after 8 minutes. (I cooked my tablespoons of dough at 325 in a convection oven for 8 minutes). They were chewy in the center and crisp on the outside, just the way I like!