Peanut Butter Stuffed Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate.  These two flavors are my husband's favorite, I don't think he can get enough of this flavor combination. I can't say that I blame him, the salty peanut butter combined with rich, velvety chocolate is a perfect match for just about everyone.   When I saw this recipe in my mother in law's newest issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray (March 2010) I knew that it would be something I made right away.  The final cookie is soft and chewy with a smooth peanut butter filling that is very rich.  Even better, this recipe was very very easy on the budget.  Next time I will make them smaller, I was a little generous when I was dropping the batter and ended up with pretty big cookies. 

Penut Butter Stuffed Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Recipe Source: Every Day With Rachel Ray March 2010 issue

2 1/2 cups (15 ounces) milk chocolate chips
4 T butter unsalted butter, softened and divided
1/3 cup plus 2 T flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt divided
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a medium, microwaveable bowl, melt together 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 T butter on medium power until almost melted, about 1 1/2 minutes; stir just until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk togehter the flour, baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.  Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla at high speed until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the melted chocolate at medium speed; whisk in the flour mixture.  Stir in the remianing 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Refrigerate the dough until firm enough to scoop, but still soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Onto each prepared pan, drop 12 rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, untl the cookies appear bubbly and still soft, about 15 minutes.  Let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat together the remaing 2 tablespoons butter and the peanut butter.  Sift (I didn't sift) in the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; beat until fluffy.  On the flat side of the cookies, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the peanute butter mixture; sandwich with the remaining cookies.

Total Cost: Cheap just over $1.00
I bought the chocolate last fall when baking supplies were on sale.  I paid about .50 for the chocolate chips, the peanut butter cost me around .25 because I only paid .77 for the whole jar of peanut butter and the butter cost me about .22.  The other ingredients cost hardly anything.