How to Make a Cookie Even Better

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In case you have a bunch of Easter candy left over and sitting around, these are the cookies for you. That’s exactly what happened to me, I had a bag of Easter egg shaped Reese’s and I just didn’t know what to do with them… OK. That’s a lie.

What really happened is I saw a bag of small Easter egg shaped Reese’s (a smaller version of the big ones you can buy individually) and a little light bulb went off in my head. I keep seeing stuffed cookies popping up on some of my favorite blogs and when I saw the size and shape of these Reese’s I just knew they needed to be stuffed into a chocolate chip cookie. So I bought the bag. And I thought, surely it won’t hurt if I just eat one. Then that happened again. And again. And – you get the picture. When it came time to actually make the cookies I only had a few left. Of course the store was sold out of the cute Easter egg shaped Reese’s so I had to settle for regular Reese cups. In the end it actually worked out because I think the regular Reese cups held up better than the few I made with eggs.

This cookie experiment was also a lesson in what happens when your baking soda loses its potency. My cookies spread much more than they usually do, I even made a few plain cookies (without stuffing them) and they also spread a ton. I use this recipe all the time with no problems so I’m sure it was my baking soda. Learn from me, if you’ve had your baking soda for more than a few months it might be time to retire it from it’s baking responsibilities.

Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Cookies
(Inspired by Picky Palate)

1 Batch of chocolate chip cookie dough (recipe also listed below)
10-12 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a medium scoop (or a scant 1/4 cup), place one scoop of cookie dough on top of the peanut butter cup. Flip over in your hand and put another scoop on the bottom of the peanut butter cup. Use your hands to form the dough around the peanut butter cup until it is completely enclosed.

Place the cookie on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (~6 per baking sheet)and bake for 18-22 minutes.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from Annie’s Eats)

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined.Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.

Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined.Stir in chocolate chips.