Magic in the Middle Cookies (Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling)

I saw this cookie recipe last night and convinced my husband to lighten up about the extra pounds we promised we’d to loose and let me make (and share) them. It’s true; I've gained 15 pounds since I stopped breast feeding last June. It’s sad, really. My daily calorie requirements decreased substantially, but I continued to eat as much as I did before. I know; it’s the perfect formula for weight gain. So I made and shared the cookies with neighbors, eating two myself.

Magic in the Middle Cookies
recipe from MelsKitchenCafe.com

Chocolate Dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

Peanut Butter Filling:
¾ cup peanut butter
¾ cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

To make the chocolate dough, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Combine sugars, butter, and peanut butter in a separate mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk to sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture and mix well.

For the peanut butter filling, stir the peanut butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Roll peanut butter filling into 26 one-inch balls using a teaspoon scoop or floured hands.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of chocolate cookie dough (a lump the size of an unshelled walnut) onto a baking sheet. Press your finger into the center of the dough to make an indentation. Put one peanut butter ball into the indentation. Bring cookie dough up over the filling, pressing edges together to cover filling. Roll the cookie dough in the palm of your hand to smooth it. Roll in granulated sugar, place on baking sheet, and flatten to ½ inch thickness with the bottom of a drinking glass. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, leaving 2 inches between cookies on the baking sheet. Bake 7-9 minutes, or until they’re set. Remove from oven and cool them on a wire rack. Enjoy!