Baking : Two-Tone Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

two-tone chocolate peanutbutter cookies 


Two-Tone Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
(adapted from the Cookie Bible)

Chocolate Dough
1 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/4 cups ap flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Peanut Butter Dough
1 cup sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups ap flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Mix chocolate dough:
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla and melted chocolate. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, or by hand, add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and beat until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.

Mix peanut butter dough:
In a large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter and sugar. Beat in egg, followed by milk and vanilla. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, or by hand, add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and beat until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
Assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet and a work surface with parchment paper.
Roll out doughs from 1/8-1/2 inch thick (3 mm) and use a 2-3 inch cookie cutter to cut large shapes. Use a small cookie cutter to remove the centers and switch them, creating a two tone effect. Gather up unused dough and reroll up to three total times, freezing again for a few minutes, if necessary to make the dough easier to work with.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, until the edges of the peanut butter (since the chocolate is harder to see) cookies are lightly browned.
Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 4-5 dozen, depending on cutter size.