If a Reece's PB Cup Dressed Up As a Cookie.....

... this is what it'd be! It's been a while since I posted a Cookie Monday recipe. Sorry 'bout that! These were the ones I made this past Monday & they were a hit with everyone that had some (I'm looking at you, Joel!) I think they're technically called Magic Middle Cookies. That's as good of a name as any, I suppose! They're kind of a lot of work so maybe save them for either a special person or a special occasion. But whatever you choose, just know that you & everyone you share them with will be SO grateful for your efforts!

Here's what you need:


Flour, peanut butter, powdered sugar, baking soda, margarine, cocoa, salt, vanilla, white sugar, brown sugar & eggs.

First thing you'll do is cream together your margarine, peanut butter, white & brown sugars. Beat it until it's somewhat fluffy & light.


Add in the egg + 1 yolk & vanilla. Give it another good mix.

Now, in another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, soda & salt. A whisk works well to combine the dry ingredients.


Carefully add the dry mix into the creamed mixture. Just watch out for the dust cloud! Cocoa has a hard time combining with wet ingredients so it'll fight you for a minute. You can drape a towel around your mixer/bowl to keep the mess to a minimum (just makes your your beaters don't grab it! LOL) If it looks like it might be a little too dry (if you are like me & live somewhere where single-digit humidity is not uncommon!) you can mix in about 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk.


Now set that aside & get ready to work on your filling - the peanut butter mixture. This one's totally simple - just mix together the peanut butter & powdered sugar. I started out using my silicone spatula but that was miserable so I switched to a metal spoon & it worked great!


All right. Ready to get your hands dirty!!??


Take a TEASPOON and measure out a bunch of little peanut butter balls. ONLY a teaspoon! Resist the 'scooping ice cream' instinct to heap it here. Just a teaspoon. Roll them in your palms & set them aside.

Next do the same with the chocolate dough, only now you'll use a TABLESPOON to measure it out. Roll it in your hands like you did before.

Now take one chocolate ball, press your thumb into it to make a well. Take a peanut butter ball & stick it in the depression. Carefully use your fingers to work the chocolate dough up & around the PB ball. Pinch it shut, making sure no PB is showing through.


Roll that ball in a dish of white sugar. Place it on a cookie sheet that you have either sprayed with PAM (which you know I absolutely hate!) or lined with parchment paper (thumbs up). Then take a glass, dip the bottom into the dish of sugar & carefully smoosh each cookie down to about 1/2" thick.


Now take that pan & pop it into an oven set to 375 for 7 minutes.


When you can smell the chocolate you know they're done!

Wanna see the magic!?


Ahhhh....... A little piece of love.

Magic Middle Cookies:

Chocolate Dough:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar (plus extra for dredging)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, plus 1 yolk

Peanut Butter Dough:
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar


In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, margarine & peanut butter until well combined & fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine.

In another bowl combine the cocoa, flour, soda & salt. Add to the creamed mixture, blending well.

In yet another bowl, combine powdered sugar & peanut butter to create PB dough.

Now preheat oven to 375.

Using a measured teaspoon, roll the PB dough into balls. Do the same with the chocolate dough, using a tablespoon. Use your thumb to make an indention in a chocolate ball. Put a PB ball into the dent & carefully form the chocolate dough around it, sealing it to prevent the PB from oozing out & roll in your hands one more time to smooth it alll out.

Roll the ball in white sugar, set on a parchment lined cookie sheet & flatten to 1/2" with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in sugar.

Bake in 375 oven for 7 minutes. Cool on wire racks.