Peanut Butter Cocoa Sandwiches
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Rich cocoa cookies dotted with peanut butter chips, sandwiched with creamy peanut butter frosting. Uses baking soda for lift, careful folding for chip integrity. Chilled dough for easy slicing. Bakes fast, cookies soft but firm on cool down. Frosting thick with a subtle hint of vanilla and milk balancing sweetness. Substitutions include almond butter or sunflower butter for allergies, coconut oil for butter. Watch for dough temperature, crumbly or sticky means fridge time. Frosting can be stiffened or loosened with milk tweaks. Sandwich them when cookies are cool but frosting still spreadable. Peanut butter chips avoid meltdown. Best done with patience, watch textures over time. Familiar yet with a twist: swapped light brown sugar for maple sugar, deeper, caramel notes.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
35 min
Servings:
15 servings
#cookies
#peanut butter
#chocolate
#baking soda
#frosting
#maple sugar
Started with a need for peanut butter and chocolate marry. The dense dough needs firmness so chips hold up — electric mixing crushes them, a common rookie mistake. Chilling dough is non-negotiable; soft dough means cookie mush and ack, a nightmare slicing. I swapped brown sugar for maple sugar once, gave a darker, caramel vibe without overpowering. Baking temp tweaked to 355°F from 350°F, to catch quick set on edges while inside stays souffle-soft. Frosting texture tricky. Too dry, dust in milk; too wet, add sugar. Patience here is everything. Sandwiching warm cookies? Nope, spread melts and sags; wait till slightly cool, or frosting runs. Store fridge or room temp, but watch frosting consistency. This combo spells balance—bitter cocoa, sweet peanut punch, and luscious creamy filling.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup maple sugar (sub for light brown sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk (adjust as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
About the ingredients
Flour measure is slightly on the generous side to balance all the chips and butter added. Using maple sugar instead of light brown shifts flavor deeper without extra moisture; great for drier climates. You can swap peanut butter with almond or sunflower butter if allergies strike hard—expect slight flavor and texture shifts. Butter is essential for richness but try coconut oil melted if dairy is no-go; results are different, less structure but tasty. Peanut butter chips—never sub with chopped peanut butter cups; melting ruins dough density. Powdered sugar quantity controls frosting firmness, adjust based on ambient humidity or desired texture. Milk should be whole if possible for creaminess, but any milk or plant-based milk with neutral profile works as thinning agent. Vanilla extract ties flavor together—don’t skip or substitute with imitation—it dulls the final profile.
Method
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt in bowl; sift or whisk to ensure no lumps. Critical for even rise and texture. Set aside.
- Beat the softened butter with granulated and maple sugars till fluffy, about 3 minutes. Don't rush here—air incorporation is key. Scrape sides frequently.
- Add egg, vanilla. Beat till fully incorporated, glossy surface forms. Important for moisture binding.
- Slowly add dry mix to wet in batches. Mix low speed or fold, just until no streaks. Overmix tough, dense cookies.
- Fold peanut butter chips by hand. Electric mixer crushes chips, releasing oils that can alter dough texture drastically.
- Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape each into a 1.5 inch thick log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; fridge for 75 minutes minimum. This firms dough, makes slicing cleaner.
- Preheat oven to 355°F (slightly higher than usual for faster set). Remove dough, slice into 1/2 inch medallions. Place onto parchment lined sheet, spaced well.
- Bake about 9-12 minutes. Watch edges, look for slight crackling surface but dough still a bit soft in center. Resist urge to overbake—a firm touch when cool is what you want.
- Let sit on tray five minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cookies continue to firm as they cool but remain soft inside. Handling early risks breakage.
- Frosting now: beat 6 tablespoons butter till pale fluffy—about 4 minutes. This aeration lightens the heavy peanut butter to come.
- Add peanut butter, blend fully. Texture thick, creamy but not loose.
- Add powdered sugar gradually. Texture will stiffen, grainy at first. Scrape bowl often.
- Stir in milk and vanilla. Beat till mixture becomes spreadable but not runny. Adjust milk sparingly; too much and sandwiches flop.
- Spread generous tablespoons on cookie bottoms, sandwich with tops. Press gently to spread, avoid frosting squeezing out.
- Stack sandwiches on parchment; chill briefly if frosting too soft before serving.
- Store airtight. Room temperature ok for a day; refrigerate longer to avoid melting peanut butter chips and frosting softness. Bring back to room temp before eating for best mouthfeel.
Cooking tips
Mixing dry ingredients first ensures even leavening—baking soda distributes fully without pockets causing uneven rise or odd flavors. Creaming butter and sugar creates ribbons of air crucial for lift; skip or skim and cookies turn flat. Folding chips gently preserves their shape; broken chips leak peanut oils changing dough consistency and browning behavior. Dough chill makes a huge difference; soft dough will flatten aggressively and bake as a thin mess. Slicing logs into discs gives uniform thickness—think cookies as equal soldiers for even bake. Bake until edges crack but center is a bit soft and jiggly; cookies firm up after cooling. Overbaking risks dry toughness. Frosting—beating butter first aerates and lightens heavy peanut butter. Adding sugar in parts allows control over frosting stiffness. Milk must be added slowly to avoid ruinously thin frosting. Sandwich cookies when cool enough that frosting won’t melt but still soft enough for spread to stick, not tear the cookie. Chilling sandwiches briefly helps set but too cold can mute flavors and harden frosting too much. Store airtight to prevent drying; refrigeration recommended if warm environment but bring to room temp for best texture and flavor before serving.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry mix first; sift cocoa powder with flour and baking soda. Avoid lumps or uneven rising. Gives even color and crumb. Watch clumps sneaking in. Folding peanut butter chips carefully keeps texture intact; broken chips leak oils ruining dough structure, and cause greasy spots when baked. Use hands, gentle strokes only, avoid electric mixer at this step.
- 💡 Butter and sugars whipped well until pale, fluffy ribbons form. Air bubbles hold rise. Rushing here means flat cookies; scraping sides during beat keeps mix uniform. Egg and vanilla added mid-beat for moisture binding; glaze forms on surface, indicates ready stage. Careful mixing dry into wet in batches preserves fluff. Overmixing makes dense tough cookies; fold slow then stop.
- 💡 Chill dough at least 75 minutes tightly wrapped, soft means messy slices and chips melting during bake. Logs shape uniform thickness; slice half inch thick discs. Bake at 355°F for quick set edges but still soft centers, sensing slight crackles and jiggle. Overbake leads to crumbly tough textures, so watch closely. Rest on tray before cooling on wire rack for texture to settle.
- 💡 Frosting set by beating butter first, light and pale. Blend peanut butter fully, thick but spreadable. Powdered sugar added gradually controls stiffness; scraping often avoids grainy pockets. Milk and vanilla trick to thin frosting just right—too much milk equals runny mess, too little means crackly dryness. Spread between cooled cookies, sandwich gently to avoid squeeze out, chill briefly if too soft.
- 💡 Substitutions: Maple sugar adds caramel depth with less moisture, good in drier climates. For allergies, almond or sunflower butter switch flavor and texture; coconut oil works for dairy free but expect softer dough and different bake results. Avoid chopped peanut butter cups, melting distorts dough. Milk can be plant-based with neutral flavor, vanilla extract best real, imitation dulls impact. Storage at room temp short term okay; fridge for longer but warm to soften before serving.
Common questions
Why fold chips by hand?
Electric mixers crush chips, oils leak. Dough texture changes—greasy, softer spots. Chips should hold shape, keep biting contrast. Hand folding means gentle, preserves integrity better. Quick but important step here.
Can I use brown sugar instead of maple?
Brown sugar adds moisture, sweetness differs. Maple sugar gives deeper caramel notes without sogginess. If using brown, reduce wet slightly. Flavor changes, texture might shift. Both work but tweak chilling time maybe.
My cookies spread too much, why?
Probably dough too warm. Soft dough flattens. Chill longer. Butter too soft or overmixed batter can cause spread. Also check flour measure—slightly more flour stabilizes structure. Oven temp matters—too low means sluggish rise and spread out dough.
How to store cookies and keep chips intact?
Airtight container best. Room temp okay up to a day but chips and frosting soften fast. For longer storage, refrigerate to prevent melting. Before eating, bring back to room temp for best texture. Avoid freezing frosting sandwiches, can get crumbly after thaw.
