Of course the first cookie I had to make from Betty Crocker’s Christmas Cookies was this Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Treats. I had to make this one first because it was the $5,000 dollar winner from Betty Crocker’s annual cookie/bar recipe contest. The requirements for this contest was to use at least one Betty Crocker cookie mix and transform it into new and improved cookie or bar.Intrigued at what a award winning ($5,000 dollar award winning) cookie tastes like I jumped to make these first.
The ingredient list is simple and uses classic flavor combinations, of peanut butter and chocolate. And I am warning you now you MUST eat these with a glass of milk because they are so rich. AND be carful not to eat too many because they are very addicting and before you know it you are undoing the top button of your jeans and laying on the couch from peanut buttery chocolate overload.
Flavor wise I totally give these a $5,000 pat on the back and job well done. The only beef I had with them is that they are kind of time consuming (more time consuming than i expected or the directions lead you to believe) and be prepared to get messy! I was covered from head to toe (along with my entire kitchen) with powdered sugar and chocolate! These would be great for a special holiday treat!
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Treats
adapted from Betty Crocker: Christmas Cookie Magazine/Book and bettycrocker.com
Cookies:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water (I used milk)
1 egg
Coating:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside. Place 12 cooled cookies in large bowl. Pour 1/3 of chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl. Using rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat. Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag. Gently turn bag to coat cookies. Remove cookies from bag to cooling rack to set. Repeat with 12 more cookies and 1/2 of remaining chocolate mixture; repeat again until all cookies are coated, adding additional powdered sugar to bag as needed.
That cookie cut in half looks like $5000! My brother would love these.