Magic in the Middles

With a name like that, how could you not want to make these cookies? I couldn't resist. And, of course, they have my two favorite ingredients: chocolate and peanut butter.

You roll the peanut butter mixture into balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Then you take the chocolate dough and break off a piece and flatten in the palm of your hand and place a peanut ball in the center and roll the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter ball. So fun, and oddly - satisfying!

But, the best part is after you place all the chocolate peanut butter balls back onto the cookie sheet, you take a glass and flatten them. The recipe suggests dipping them in granulated sugar before flattening them, but I omitted the sugar. For anyone who loves Reeses Peanut Butter Cups - this recipe is for you!

Recipe from the now sadly defunct Cottage Living

Makes 26 cookies. Prep: 45 minutes; Bake: 7 minutes per batch

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more fore dipping)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whist together first 4 ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together granulated and brown sugars, butter, and 1/4 cup peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in dry ingredients, blending well. Set dough aside.

2. Stir together remaining 3/4 cup peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. With floured hands (make sure you put the flour on your hands because otherwise the dough will stick to them), roll mixture into 26 (1-inch) balls.

3. Break off about 1 tablespoon cookie dough; make an indentation in center with thumb, and press 1 peanut butter ball into indentation. Wrap dough up and over filling, pressing to seal; roll cookie to smooth it out. Repeat for each cookie.

4. Dip top of each cookie in granulated sugar, and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased (I didn't bother with greasing mine - used parchment paper instead) baking sheets. Use greased bottom of drinking glass to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick.

5. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Let cool on wire rack.