Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bites

I had leftover Halloween candy, and decided to try a new recipe. These are Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bites. (Property has snacks again this month - expect round food from me...)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter (if you use a natural type, bump up the sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cups (160g) all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) chocolate chunks
  (I used leftover Halloween candy bars, cut into small pieces as well as some mini chocolate chips) 

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed. Scrape down bowl as needed.
2. Mix in the peanut butter, scrape down bowl,
3. Mix in egg and vanilla, scrape down bowl.
4. Mix baking soda and flour together in a small bowl, then slowly and gently add to mix into stand mixer. (Don’t overmix!)
5. Fold in chocolate chunks (or leftover Halloween candy) with a sturdy spoon. Reserve about 1/4 of the chocolate for pressing on top of the dough.
6. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 15 minutes before baking. Spray wells of two 24 cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray.
8. Drop chilled dough using small cookie scoop into each well. (About 1.5 tablespoons)
9. Press the reserved chocolate on top of the dough balls, and press the dough down slightly
10. Bake for 9 - 10 minutes.
11. Let pans cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then remove the cookie bites (I used a butter knife to help loosen them from the sides of the pan.)
12. The cookie bites will be soft  - but they will firm up as they cool.
13. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. (Makes about 48)

Carole's Notes:

These are delicious. They are a very sweet cookie with all the candy.

I doubled this recipe, and made about 60 cookie bites, and about a dozen cookies. For the cookies, I used my large cookie scoop - about 2.5 tablespoons.

If you use leftover chocolate Halloween candy, be advised that the caramel will run.



I made a slightly different version last year Peanut Butter Chocolate Candy Cups. This version is my current favorite...

The recipe is lightly adapted from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/03/27/peanut-butter-mm-cookies/