Chocolate Truffle-Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

These cookies are like a peanut butter cup, but inside out and in cookie form. I realize that this actually makes them quite different from the peanut butter cups that you can buy in the candy aisle at the local grocery store (and the homemade version!), but the flavors are similar and these cookies have a cute peanut butter cup shape to them.

These start out with peanut butter cookie dough. The dough is pressed into a mini muffin tin and then a chocolate truffle is placed inside. The chocolate truffles are very easy to make for this recipe and I recommend making them youself, rather than trying to use storebought truffles, because they are firm enough to hold up to the baking process and they’re the right size to fit into the cookies. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate in these. The cookies aren’t too sweet on their own, so I would opt for milk or semisweet chocolate unless you’re really looking for a not-very-sweet cookie.

The cookies have a crisp exterior and a good peanut butter flavor, and the chocolate center is a surprise that you find when you bite into one. Peanut butter and chocolate is a great combination and even better when cookies and truffles are involved.  These look like they’re difficult to make and, while they do take a little bit of time, they’re actually much easier to make than they look – so you can impress your friends with the look and taste of these little cookies.

Chocolate Truffle-Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

Chocolate Truffle Centers
4 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp heavy cream

Prepare cookie dough.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, followed by the peanut butter. With the mixer on low speed, gradually incorporate flour mixture until dough comes together.
Place a sheet of wax paper on the countertop and shape dough into a rough, large log. Wrap with wax paper and chill for at least 2 hours. Exact size of the dough log is not important.

Prepare truffles.
In a small, microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave on medium heat for 20-30 seconds, stir well and microwave again until chocolate has completely melted. Do this slowly to avoid burning the chocolate.
Chill chocolate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, until firm but still easy to scoop. Shape into 20 teaspoon-sized balls and place each on wax paper. Chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Remove cookie dough from fridge. Cut the log lengthwise in half, then make 10 horizontal cuts to slice the dough into a total of 20 even pieces. Each piece should be a semi-circle in shape.
Press each piece of dough into a mini muffin cup (nonstick or very lightly greased) and press your finger into the dough to create a hole in the center. The hole should not go all the way through the dough.
Place one of the chocolate truffles into the dough and push the dough around it to completely cover the chocolate.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges.
Cool in the pan, then serve or store in an airtight container.

Makes 20.