Magic in the Middle Cookies

These are magic cookies...
They look like they're just chocolate on the outside.
But when you take a bite you get the best surprise of your life.
They are filled with peanut butter!

Let's start assembling these suckers!
Take a heaping tablespoon of dough and make a big indentation with your thumb

 Now place a peanut butter ball in the center of the dough

Work the sides of the dough over the peanut butter until it is completely covered. 

Roll the dough in your palms until it comes into a ball.

 

Here's the process in motion!

We roll them in sugar and squish down with a glass before baking

Surprises are the best. Especially when there's peanut butter involved.

Magic in the Middles

from: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion Cookbook

Ingredients:

Dough
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar (and extra for dipping)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Filling
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Dough
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.

Filling
In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. You can use your hands and kind of knead it in to help incorporate all the sugar. Roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls.

Assembly
Break off about 1 tablespoon of the chocolate dough, make an indentation in the center with your finger, and press one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring the dough up and over the filling, pressing it closed; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Dip the top of each cookie in granulated sugar and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, until they're set. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.