Peanut Butter Cookies with Honey-Cinnamon Filling

I love the idea of peanut butter cookies, but most are so one-dimensional and overly sweet with just an undertone of peanut flavor.  This recipe, though, is anything but bland.  Roasted peanuts are ground and added directly to the batter to boost the nutty flavor.  The crunchiness of the thin cookies is offset by a creamy honey and peanut butter mixture which can be used as a frosting or filling.

1.25 cups unsalted, roasted peanuts (6.25 ounces)

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3.75 ounces)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (1.5 ounces)

1/2 cup sugar (3.5 ounces)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (3.5 ounces)

1.25 cups creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons milk

1 extra large egg

5 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup powdered sugar (4 ounces)

Pulse the peanuts in a food processor in small batches.  Be careful not to grind them for too long, or they'll cream into peanut butter.

We're going for a bit of a chunky consistency, and leaving some large pieces of peanuts gives the cookies an additional texture dimension.  Smells so good!

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.  While most recipes advocate sifting flour to aerate and eliminate lumps, Martha says whisking well is perfectly adequate.

Melt butter in the microwave for 20 seconds, covered (the roof of my microwave is very well buttered).

Transfer the butter to a large bowl and add sugar, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup peanut butter.  If your brown sugar is hardened into impossible chunks like mine, combine it with the warm butter first to dissolve as much as possible before adding the white sugar and peanut butter.

Whisk together.  Yum.

Add milk and egg and whisk gently to avoid splattering milk everywhere.

Gently fold the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture.

Add the ground peanuts and fold to combine.

Measure the batter with a level tablespoon.

This recipe made 36 cookies.

With a slightly damp hand, squish the batter into 2" wide discs.  Don't worry if the edges are a little rough since they'll even out in the oven.  The brown spots are just brown sugar nuggets (oops).

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes, watching closely for the last few minutes.  The cookies are done when the edges are nicely browned.  Leave the cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes (I ate one).

Once the cookies are cool, microwave 3/4 cup peanut butter for 40 seconds until nicely smooth and melty.

Add honey and cinnamon to warm peanut butter and stir well to combine.

Combine confectioners' sugar with peanut butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time.  If you haven't gone to the gym today, this will definitely count as your workout.  My arm is still sore.

Drop one level tablespoon of the filling onto the underside of a cookie.  From here, there are two ways to proceed...

1)  Place a second cookie on top and wiggle gently back-and-forth until the filling is even.  This works a lot better when the filling is still warm, so pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds if it starts to cool.

2)  Using your clean thumb, spread the filling to the edges, then place a second cookie on top and press gently to adhere the sandwich together.  Don't push too hard or you'll break both cookies (trust me).

Or, just sort of smush the filling on top of a cookie.  This rustic, organic (lazy) look is my favorite.