Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies

A few months ago I made chocolate chip pillow cookies for the first time. Do I really have to say I loved them? I mean, a chocolate chip cookie with a brownie inside...what's not to love? I had an urge to make them again for a party I was going to, but thought they might be tasty with some peanut butter added in. So here we have the peanut butter chocolate chip (you can't leave out the chocolate chips) cookie stuffed with a brownie. Are they  as good as I had hoped? Well, a girl I never met before came up to me after learning I was the one who brought these cookies and gave me a hug and said, "thank you." So I guess they're okay. 

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies

How I did it

Your favorite brownie recipe (or box mix)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

heaping 1/4 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Prepare and bake brownies. Take out of oven and set aside to cool. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheets. There is enough fat in these that you don't need to grease your cookie sheets if they are non-stick. Otherwise lightly spray with cooking oil or line with parchment paper.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

4. Beat together peanut butter, butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add egg and beat until just combined. Slowly beat in flour (1/3 at a time). 

5. With wooden spoon, stir in rolled oats and mini chocolate chips. 

6. Cut brownies into about 1/2 inch pieces if you want smaller ("normal" sized) cookies and 1 inch or larger for nice giant cookies. Do not use the edges of the brownie. There will be plenty of extra brownies left when you're done - I'm sure I don't need to give you suggestions for what to do with it. 

7. Take your desired amount of cookie dough (about 2-4 tablespoons for a smaller cookie and 1/2 cup if you want giant cookies) and roll it into a round ball. Push your thumb into the middle and widen an opening for your piece of brownie. Once the brownie is inside fold the cookie dough around it. The brownie should be inside, in the middle, completely covered with cookie dough. You can experiment and use more/less cookie dough as desired, but make sure all the cookies in each batch are about the same size so the cook evenly. 

8. The cookies will be done pretty quickly and you do not want to over-cook them or they will be dry. Start checking them after about 5-8 minutes and take them out when they are very lightly brown. Let them cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then place them in an airtight container until ready to serve. They are just as good the next day, but that's all I can vouch for as mine were gone within 24 hours.