Peanut Butter Love Cookies
Sometimes I like to mix up a couple recipes to make my own. In this case I did just that. This is cookie recipe is one that I like to make for gifts for Valentines day. You can give them to friends, neighbors, teachers... or just eat them all yourself! They are simple and cute. If you're anything like I am, I hate cut-out cookies. They take forever to make and it becomes an all day event that makes a huge mess. These are a happy change from that.
What makes these so stinking cute are the solid chocolate hearts. I found mine at TJMaxx. You can buy them anywhere during the Valentine season. Just make sure they are solid chocolate. I found mine for $3.99 for a box of 20. Feel free to use dark chocolate, white chocolate, or whatever kind you can find. You may want to stash a few of these chocolate hearts in your freezer for an anniversary or special occasion later in the year. Chocolate can be frozen and lasts for a year after purchase if frozen.
Peanut Butter Love Cookies
1 cup butter, softened 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 eggs 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup granulated sugar
20 solid milk chocolate hearts (unwrapped)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add vanilla and mix. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add to mixture in mixing bowl and stir until completely combined.
Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl and roll each ball of dough in the sugar until completely covered. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat. Using a flat-bottomed drinking glass (or whatever flat-bottomed object you have around the house), gently press each dough ball down (I left mine pretty thick - these cookies will stay whatever thickness you press them down to).
Bake the cookies 7-9 minutes. Remove cookies and allow them to cool on their cookie sheet for about 5 minutes placing the unwrapped chocolate heart in the center of each cookie as it cools. Then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. These cookies are very soft - you don't want them to overbake or turn brown at all. They will continue to set-up as they cool.