Chocolate-Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

One of my favorite cookie recipes on this site are the chocolate peanut butter surprise cookies - a rich, chewy chocolate cookie surrounding a hidden center of creamy peanut butter. A few weeks ago, the idea hit me: why not try them in reverse?

And so these cookies were born. Thick, chewy, sweet peanut butter cookies encasing a heavenly chocolate ganache. These cookies were absolutely enormous, but I really can't see that as a flaw. You could certainly make them smaller if you wanted, with adjustments to the baking time, but I can't see why. 

Turbinado sugar continues to be one of my favorite ingredients - I love the sparkly, crackly, sheen it gives when I roll my cookie dough in it before baking. It brings thick, chewy cookies to a whole other level. 

Some of my cookies cracked a little on the top when baking, and I kind of love the little "window" it gives in to the chocolate inside (though it does ruin the surprise!). If this is a look you enjoy, you could even cut little slits in to the top of the cookie before baking. 

So, try these, try the opposite version, and try not to eat them all!

Tip of the Day: Chocolate ganache is a dessert staple: a rich, creamy chocolate sauce that can be used for dipping, frosting and anything in between. Many recipes call for heavy cream, whipping cream, half and half, milk - and these are all viable options. I've even used soy milk and almond milk with good results.

Recipe: Makes 22 to 26 very large cookies
Filling:
4 ounces milk or cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or in chips
2 to 4 tablespoons flour

Cookie:
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) shortening
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Turbinado sugar

Heat the milk or cream until just boiling, and pour over the chocolate.Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Add in the flour and continue to mix until forms a dough that holds together - using more flour as needed. Set aside.

Beat the shortening, butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Add in the sugar and continue to beat. Add in the honey and mix until smooth. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.

Scoop a tablespoon of the peanut butter dough and flatten it in your hand. Top with a heaping teaspoon of chocolate mixture, then add another flattened disk of peanut butter dough on top. Roll the cookie in turbinado sugar, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake on 350 F for 20 to 24 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.