Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Dipped in Chocolate & Honey Roasted Peanuts

Being able to bake sweet little goodies is an ability cherished in our family and passed down from generation to generation. So when I got a call from my Auntie Meggie, announcing a birthday bash for my Cousin Rosie, which included a dessert buffet, I knew I had to go all out. You know I am a salt freak, but Rosie is the family chocoholic. I’m talking major. If anyone would appreciate the Scharffen Berger I used, it would definitely be her. Chocolate in the cookie and dipped in chocolate, I knew this would be the one I should bring. Happy Birthday Rosie!

This cookie is decadently rich with the chocolate and peanut butter, each contributing in equal amounts. The chocolate in the dough is grated on a microplane, instead of melted as you would expect. I used my go-to bittersweet chocolate Callebaut, which we used exclusively when I was going to culinary school. I know there are other fine chocolates out there, nuances and all, but my loyalty still lies with Callebaut. The Scharffen Berger bar came in the goodie bag from Camp Blogaway last May and I wanted to use it in a way befitting its quality. It was a little less sweet than I like for just eating, but was perfect for melting, combined with the honey roasted peanuts and brown sugar in the cookie. And Rosie LOVED them.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Dipped in Chocolate & Honey Roasted Peanuts

Yield: about 40 cookies

Cookie Dough

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy’s)
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely grated with a microplane (I used Callebaut)
 
Finishing
 
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used a Sharffen Berger bar)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup honey-roasted peanuts, finely chopped, but not ground
 
1 cookie sheet covered with parchment, set inside second sheet of same size, for baking
1 cookie sheet, for chilling dough in freezer
 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack in middle of oven.
 
2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk or stir well to mix.
 
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until well mixed and light, about 2 minutes.
 
4. Add vanilla and egg and beat until smooth.
 
5. Lower speed and beat in flour mixture and chocolate. Remove bowl from mixer and finish mixing dough with a large spoon or rubber spatula.
 
6. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Roll out one piece to 3/8-inch thick on parchment. Do not use additional flour. Place on sheet and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
 
7. Cut chilled dough with a cookie cutter or into diamond shapes with pizza wheel or knife. Use offset spatula to lift chilled cut shapes from parchment and place onto second parchment covered sheet.
 
8. Bake cookies double-panned for about 9 to 10 minutes until firm. Cool on paper.
 
9. Repeat with remaining 2 balls of dough. Collect dough scraps and re-roll to use all of dough. Do not use additional flour.
 
Prepare Chocolate Mixture
 
1. In a small bowl stir melted chocolate and butter together. I melted in microwave for 1 minute. Have chopped peanuts in another small bowl nearby.
 
2. Dip both ends of each cookie in chocolate mixture, then into peanuts. Place cookies on parchment covered pan as finished. Let cool at room temperature for several hours to allow chocolate to set.
 
3. Store cookies at room temperature between sheets of parchment in plastic container with tight-fitting lid.
 
Note: Prior to serving, any messy-looking crumbs on the cookies can be brushed off with a pastry brush.