Over the Top Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies

Over the Top Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies - made dough May 16, 2014, modified slightly from Real Mom Kitchen

I have so many friends whose favorite flavor combination is chocolate and peanut butter. I'm indifferent to peanut butter so I typically only eat it paired with chocolate but I'm in the minority on that. I can usually count on any type of chocolate peanut butter combo being a crowd pleaser when I make it. As was the case with these cookies. I needed something to put in goodie bags for a lunch with our church friends, to serve for some family company in town and the rest I baked off to bring to work the next day. No matter the occasion, these went over very well.

Think of this as a good peanut butter cookie classed up to greatness. In large part due to the peanut butter cups on top. I must say I thought it was genius of Real Mom Kitchen to add these on top after baking. Such a simple yet powerful visual and taste appeal. I think I may need to do that with all peanut butter cookie recipes from now on.

Cut up the peanut butter cups into quarters (chill them first for easier cutting if it's warm out) and when you take the cookies out of the oven, immediately and gently press the peanut butter cup chunks randomly on top. Be generous with them too. The residual heat from the cookies will melt the peanut butter cups just enough to adhere to the cookie tops but not so much to melt them shapeless. You do need to let these cool completely before trying to stack them or else the softened peanut butter cups will smear into each other. The nice thing is while these cookies do spread, they don't spread that much (bake from frozen dough) so they retain a nice thickness for which to carry the peanut butter cups.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (I used semisweet)
32 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, each cut into 4 pieces

1. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together. 
2. Cream butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add sugar and brown sugar until blended. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Blend in dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Portion dough into balls and chill for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and lightly press 8 cut-up Reese's peanut butter cups over the top of each cookie. Cool completely.