Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies-Americas Test Kitchen

By SMorrissey

Perfecting the Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie

Many recipes for peanut butter sandwich cookies disappoint with soft, dull-tasting cookies and overly sweet fillings. Here's how we improved the concept.

Super-Crunchy Cookies Fewer eggs and more baking soda add up to thin, flat, extra-crisp cookies.

A Smooth—but Not Runny—Filling Creaminess was crucial, but so was a filling that didn’t squish out the sides. Our formula: peanut butter, butter, and enough confectioners’ sugar to firm up the texture.

Big Peanut Flavor Replacing some of the flour with chopped toasted peanuts made
the cookies extra nutty.

Ingredients

• Makes 24 cookies
• Do not use unsalted peanut butter for this recipe.
• Ingredients
• Cookies
• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) raw peanuts, toasted and cooled
• 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 large egg
• Filling
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Details

Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions

1. FOR THE COOKIES: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse peanuts in food processor until finely chopped, about 8 pulses. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Whisk butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, and egg together in second bowl. Stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture with rubber spatula until combined. Stir in peanuts until evenly distributed.

2. Using #60 scoop or tablespoon measure, place 12 mounds, evenly spaced, on each prepared baking sheet. Using damp hand, flatten mounds until 2 inches in diameter.

3. Bake until deep golden brown and firm to touch, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Repeat portioning and baking remaining dough.

4. FOR THE FILLING: Microwave peanut butter and butter until butter is melted and warm, about 40 seconds. Using rubber spatula, stir in confectioners’ sugar until combined.

5. TO ASSEMBLE: Place 24 cookies upside down on work surface. Place 1 level tablespoon (or #60 scoop) warm filling in center of each cookie. Place second cookie on top of filling, right side up, pressing gently until filling spreads to edges. Allow filling to set for 1 hour before serving. Assembled cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.