Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Hello everyone!

Hope you are all having a great week, despite the cold and rainy weather we've been having here in Austin.

I have to admit I wasn't expecting that one bit, nor did I care for it. I'm ready for the 108 degree weather! No more cold until fall please.

One thing I am known for around my friends and the workplace is making the best Reese's Brownies. The story behind those brownies is really very simple, a friend saw a picture of the recipe, asked me to make them and so I did! No big great "Ah Ha" moment behind them, just a simple request. 

I have changed up the brownies just a tad since I first made them, but people still love them! 

Those brownies are like my signature item if you ask any of my co-workers. I've made more of those brownies than anything else.

What can I say people love chocolate and peanut butter!

Which is why when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make them. I knew my friend who originally requested them would love them, and he did. As did everyone else who tried them. 

They even got the big brother seal of approval of a big smile, a nod, and "these are really good!" 

That's good folks! Most of the time my food get's a "Yeah it's good." from him, which means he really does like it, (he'll tell me if he doesn't trust me) but when I get a big nod of approval I know I made something better than just "good"

Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

(Recipe by Love and Olive Oil)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

pinch salt

2 tablespoons heavy cream, or more as needed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix until no traces of the dry ingredients remain, scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is fully incorporated.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Place cookie sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes, then flatten balls slightly with the ball of your hand. Bake for about 8 minutes or until cookies are just set in the middle. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet (they will deflate slightly), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together until fluffy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add salt, cream, and vanilla and beat until smooth. At this point you may need to add more cream or more powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.