Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar (Again, 1/2 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• OPTIONAL: Health bar toffee chips with milk chocolate (my personal touch)

Garnish: Reese's miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.
• Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, 48 miniature muffins tins. (I used a regular sized muffin pan instead.)
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter.
• Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes).
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated.
• Stir in about 1/3 cup toffee chips or any type of add-in you prefer. Nuts would be good too.
• Fill each miniature muffin cup about one-third to half-full of batter. (It was really thick, more like dough than batter so I rolled them into little balls.)
• Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes (12 min. for a larger pan/more dough), or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges but still soft in the center. (Note: While the cookies are baking remove the foil wraps and paper liners from each peanut butter cup.)
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and gently press one miniature peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie.
• The peanut butter cup should be even with the top of the batter.
• Return the cookies to the oven and bake an additional 2 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool completely (about two hours) on a wire rack before removing the cookies from the pan. (I have no patience and only one muffin pan so I let them cool for 5 minutes.)
• These can be stored for several days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, or they can be frozen. Makes about 48 cookies. (HA! I got 18 cookies!!)

These are really delicious & sinful but if you want to "healthify" them at all there are a few ways. First you could substitute half whole wheat flour for the all purpose or add some oatmeal. This would add flavor, fiber and texture. Instead of eggs you can use mashed banana or a "flax egg". Also, the butter can be replaced with part applesauce and some Smart Balance or Earth Balance. I really wanted to do this but I had to remind myself that I wasn't baking for me, I was baking for people who aren't afraid of butter and white flour. I think I always try to add/subtract ingredients when baking because I like the guessing game. Will it turn out? What if it doesn't rise? Will Dave eat it or shove it underneath our couch cushions?

I'm happy to say that as-is, this recipe is very good. A little dense and a bit too "white" for my taste but my husband loved them! Perfect for a once a year holiday treat.