Posted by Kathy
I have always loved a classic peanut butter cookie. But these Grown-Up Peanut Butter Cookies will take you over the edge! Since they are frosted (twice!), they have a few more steps than the traditional cookie, but they are worth the extra time to try the next-level version of this classic. They are very similar to a cookie found at a bakery in Utah. Soft and cakey, you may never be able to go back to the old-school peanut butter cookie once you’ve tried them!
Cookie Ingredients:
- 1 c. butter, softened
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1c. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 3 ¼ c cake flour*
- 1 bag (12 oz.) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips – no substitutions
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients:
- ¼ c. butter, softened
- 1 ½ c. powdered sugar
- heaping 1/4 c. smooth peanut butter (not natural)
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- Milk to thin (whole milk is preferable)
Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ c. butter, softened
- 2 ½ c. powdered sugar
- heaping ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- Milk to thin
Cookie Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350˚
Cream together butter, sugars, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Add flour and peanut butter chips. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Scoop into 2” balls and place onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet about 4 inches apart (about 8 cookies per sheet). Bake for about 12 minutes, just until set.
PB Frosting Instructions:
Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter, salt and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time just until smooth, creamy, and spreadable.
Chocolate Frosting Instructions:
Cream butter and powdered sugar. Add cocoa, salt, and vanilla. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. If needed, add additional powdered sugar or cocoa to obtain preferred flavor.
Once cookies are completely cooled, frost. No worries about whether you start with the peanut butter or the chocolate frosting; it’s just important to have both on each cookie.
* If you don’t have cake flour, place 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill with all-purpose flour. Pour into medium bowl. Do this three times, then add additional ¼ cup all-purpose flour. Whisk gently to combine. Add, as called for, into recipe above.
