Magic in the Middle Cookies

1 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

1/2 C. Unsweetened Cocoa

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp. Salt

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1/2 C. Granulated Sugar

1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar

1/2 C. Unsalted Butter, softened

1/4 C. Peanut Butter

1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Egg

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3/4 C. Powdered Sugar

3/4 C. Peanut Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. In a seperate bowl, beat sugars, butter and 1/4 C. peanut butter until light and fluffy. Then beat in vanilla and egg. Once this is thoroughly mixed add in the dry ingredients and set aside. 

Stir together the 3/4 C. peanut butter and the powdered sugar until smooth and roll into 27 one-inch balls.

Next, take about one tablespoon of cookie dough, make an indentation in the center of it with your thumb and press one peanut butter ball into the middle. Wrap dough up over and around the peanut butter ball and roll into a ball. Repeat for all 27 cookies.
 

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 in. thick. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake each batch for 7 minutes.

 

This recipe is from the March 2006 publication of Cottage Living