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This recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. I absolutely love these little cookies. The cookie itself is slightly crunchy with a creamy peanut butter filling.  You could also try adding other fillings with the peanut butter filling like jam or fluff.(Your kids would probably love it!) This recipes makes 3 dozen cookies, but believe me they go fast, so you may want to make the full batch. The cookies are quite small, so you won’t feel as bad eating lots of them.
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (preferably natural)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 packed light-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- Peanut butter filling recipe follows
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Place butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. With mixer on low, add reserved flour mixture and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Divide dough in half, and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. (If refrigerated overnight, let dough stand at room temp. until slightly softened.) On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a scant 1/4 inch thickness. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 2 1/2 by 1 inch rectangles. Using the tines of a fork, score the top of each cookie. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, placing 1 1/2 inches apart and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges and firm in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Using an offset spatula, spread 1 Tbls. filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich the remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides own. Unfilled cookies can be kept in airtight container at room temp. for up to 1 week. Once filled, the cookies are best eaten the same day, but can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Peanut Butter Filling
- 6 Tbls. unsalted butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 smooth peanut butter (preferably natural) (I really like MaraNatha honey peanut spread in these, the honey taste makes the filling even more delicious)
- 3 Tbls. heavy cream
In mixer combine all ingredients. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let filling stand at room temperature to soften before using.