Those of you who have been reading the blog for awhile now, know that I am just a tad obsessed with baking….and that I pride myself on my cookies. Cookies are “my thing.” I absolutely love to bake, and was excited to have a good reason to get in the kitchen today. I’m bringing a meal to a set of new parents tomorrow, and wanted to include some dessert. The pregnant lady in me had been craving peanut butter cookies, and we had Hershey kisses in the pantry…I knew what I had to do!

However, nearly every peanut butter cookie recipe produces dry and crumbly cookies…blech…who wants to eat that? Lots of people produce crunch peanut butter cookies, and again I ask, who wants to eat that? (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Unless a cookie is an Oreo, it should NOT crunch.) I wanted to come up with a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie that just melted in your mouth….and I think I did!

Here is what you’ll need to make these heavenly little bites of peanut-buttery goodness. (Okay, some of that might be the pregnancy talking…)

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter (I recommend not using the all-natural stuff.)

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3 1/4 cup flour

Hershey’s kisses or Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (Seriously, the peanut butter cups make these AMAZING!)

To Prepare

*Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

1. Beat the butter and shortening together until nice and fluffy. (Seriously, whip it like Devo.)

2. Add in the sugars, and beat again. Make sure this is  a light and fluffy mixture.

3. Beat in the eggs until well incorporated.

4. Add in the peanut butter, and mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.

5. Mix in your dry ingredients.

6. Drop your rounded scoops of dough ( I use my Pampered Chef cookie scoop) onto a cookie sheet. (Don’t add the candy yet!) Bake the cookies for about 7 minutes, and then check. I implore you to stand by your oven and check on these like a crazy person so they don’t get too done. (Again, I stress, making crispy cookies is a mortal cooking sin. Don’t commit it!)

7. When the cookies are still a bit soft and have the teeniest hint of golden color around the edges, pull the pan out of the oven, and place your Hershey’s kiss or Reese’s PB Cup in the center. You’ll want to smoosh the candy down just a bit, especially as peanut butter cookies don’t really spread out a whole lot as they bake. Allow the cookies to bake for another minute or two OUT OF THE OVEN, on the pan.

8. I HIGHLY recommend trying one of these cookies while the chocolate is still a bit melty and gooey! SOOO good! Now go ahead and try not to eat them all! I dare you!