Sometimes you just need cookies, and today's offering aims at satisfying that need--or want. Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are sweet--no getting around that--but I've reduced the amount of butter in them and included some white whole-wheat flour. Nonetheless, the cookies aren't/aren't health food. So enjoy them in moderation. The cookies are crispy on the edges and a bit chewy in the centers (unless you bake them too long, so don't). They're rich in brown sugar and include plenty of peanut butter cups in the batter rather than plopped on the top of the cookies. The result is a cookie that's incredibly good and great with coffee, tea, and/or ice cream.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies -- Makes about 24
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter or Smart Balance, softened
1 11-ounce bag of miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped and chopped or
crumbled (about 36 miniatures)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the sugars and softened butter, creaming them well. Add the egg, vanilla, and oil and mix the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix everything until just combined. Stir in the miniature peanut butter cups. Form 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake the dough for 9-10 minutes, remove it from the oven, and gently flatten the balls with a spatula until they're about 1/2-inch thick. Return the cookie sheets to the oven and bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes more or until crispy on the edges and just barely done in the middle (they'll continue to cook a little outside the oven). Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing them to cool completely.
