Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Pour a glass of cold milk and forget Oreos! A creamy filling made with peanut butter and cream cheese gives classic peanut butter cookies a special twist in this recipe I found on an issue of Taste of Home magazine.

I’d like to share a few of the adjustments I made. Since I found the original filling measurements to be cloyingly sweet, I decreased the 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar originally called for to 2 cups and congruently, I added half a cup of cream cheese into the recipe. The filling recipe called for around 5 to 6 tbsps of milk but when I worked with it, I found I needed way more to bring it to the spreading consistency I desired. Add milk by 2 to 3 tablespoons increments as it is easier to add more as you go along, than repairing the filling if it gets too liquefied. I also skipped the process of shaping the dough into 1-in balls by using a 1 oz scoop. I yielded less number of cookies but much larger sized.

Makes 24 Cookies

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 tsps baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape dough into 1-in balls and arrange 2-in apart on ungreased baking sheets. Alternatively, use a scoop to form dough. Flatten to around 3/8-in thickness with tines of fork.

Bake at 375 F until golden brown, around 7-8 minutes. Remove and cool in wire racks.

Filling

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
5 to 6 tbsps milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk. Add more milk as needed to achieve spreading consistency.

Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.

 

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