A Halloween treat! Chocolaty cookies with a rich peanut butter cup center — and one spooky eyeball to keep an eye on you!
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Jeepers, creepers, my cookie has a giant peeper!
Every year about this time, I pick up a package of candy eyeballs — and it never fails: I end up sticking eyeballs on everything! (Even on some of our family photos!)
Well this time, the giant candy eyes got stuck onto cookies... and I think you'll agree they make a really fun Halloween cookie! Put two of them next to each other, and it's like Big Foot has his eyes on you. (Yikes!) But don't worry: it's not Big Foot. It's just a big old bite of chocolate and peanut butter awesomeness.
Why you'll love these cookies
Before they're silly and fun, they must first taste good — and these cookies definitely do! The cookies are chocolaty and textured, thanks to old fashioned oats and rich cocoa powder in the batter. And in the center of each one is a favorite candy: a mini peanut butter cup!
Ok, now for the silly: a big ol' eyeball. Add a peeper to each cookie, right in the middle. The result is a cookie that looks like one big monster eye keeping a close watch on you — right before you eat it! Get the kids in your house to help with the peanut butter cups and eyeballs. They'll love it!
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the cookie dough
Blend the dry ingredients together. Blend the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Place the cookie dough in the fridge to chill for half an hour. This helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.
Step 2: Bake the cookies
Scoop the dough using a cookie scoop and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add the peanut butter cups and eyes
Once the cookies are out of the oven, press a peanut butter cup into the center of each one. After about 5 minutes, press a candy eye on each peanut butter cup, smooshing the peanut butter cup a little. (It will be melty by then, from the hot cookie.)
Step 4: Enjoy!
Once the cookies are all baked and eyeballed, and have cooled, enjoy them!
Notes:
- The butter should be just a little softened: it should give just a little when you press it.
- The chill time for the dough firms up the butter in the dough, and keeps the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
- I like the look of one large eyeball in these cookies — but if you want to add two peepers to some of the cookies, that would be fun, too!
Fine the recipe for these cookies below. And if you need more Halloween inspiration, well hang on to your witch hats:
💬 Jeepers creepers — how do you like these Chocolate Peanut Butter Peepers? Leave a comment below and tell me!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Peepers Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened a little (Don't let the butter get too soft - it should just give a little when pressed)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 28 mini peanut butter cups, wrappers removed
- 28 large candy eyes
Instructions
Make the cookies dough:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir together the flour, oats, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Hold this aside.
- Blend together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, until the mixture is smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- Place the bowl of dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. This helps the baked cookies keep their shape.
Bake the cookies:
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons size) to scoop portions of chilled dough onto the baking sheet, spacing them two inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set. Remove them to a cooling rack.
Add the peanut butter cups:
- As soon as the cookies are on the cooling rack, gently press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. The hot cookies will begin to soften the candies.
Add the eyes:
- After about 5 minutes, the peanut butter cups should be soft. Gently press a large candy eyeball on top of each peanut butter cup. Press the eye down just a little so the peanut butter cup collapses a bit, and gets smooshy around the edges.
Continue baking:
- Continue to scoop out and bake the rest of the cookies, adding peanut butter cups to the baked cookies when they're hot from the oven. And eyeballs once the candies are soft.
- The cooled cookies can be served immediately. They can be stored once the peanut butter cups are no longer melty.
- Place the cookies in a wrapped or sealed container, along with a slice of bread to help keep them soft. Store them for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Don't let the butter for the cookie dough get too soft - it should give just a little when pressed.
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