Love and Olive Oil

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

And we’re off! Off to Italy, that is! We’ve been planning this trip for months (though planning is maybe an overstatement, considering we just booked our hotels a few days ago. Oops!) It’s the ultimate trip for a pair of foodies, and we plan on eating our way through the country. But don’t worry, I’ve got a few posts written and scheduled to publish while we’re away, so you won’t go through withdrawals or anything. I can’t say the same for myself, however, since we are going to be technology-less for the entire time. Yep, that’s right, no computer, no smart phone, no email, no twitter. Oh, the horror! At least I’ll have some delicious food to distract me. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to share when we return.

(Oh, and I know some of you may have gotten a sneak peek of this post… apparently once you accidentally click publish there’s no turning back. That’s what I get for trying to plan ahead, oops. Sorry for the tease!)

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I woke up one morning with peanut butter cups on my mind. The previous week, I had picked up a container of the best peanut butter cups I have ever had, a title previously held by Trader Joe’s milk chocolate peanut butter cups. These new bites, however, overtook the old favorites in a single bite. Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups, oh how I love thy salty goodness.

In hindsight, and as delicious as these cookies are, if I had known that the dark chocolate cups would be gone from the store the very next week, I would have cherished each and every one of them instead of chopping them to bits and throwing them into some cookie dough. Hindsight. Whatever.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

The cookies themselves are a rich chocolately version of your typical chocolate chip cookie. With more chocolate chips. And then the chopped up dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I also think they’d be good with peanut butter chips and/or chopped peanuts as well. A veritable kitchen sink of a cookie.

Which makes sense, considering the original recipe I borrowed called for chopped up heath bars, pecans, and vanilla chips. So I’d say it’s flexible. Go nuts. (Or go chips, go candy, whatever).

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

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Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups (2 2/3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped peanut butter cups (about 12-15 bite size cups)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate morsels

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, cream the butter and the sugars until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture a little bit at a time and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter cups and chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches in between to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on sheets for 1 minute, then remove to racks and allow to cool completely.

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27 Comments

  1. Everyone that tried them had at least two cookies. One co-worker had three. I made these last night for my boyfriend’s birthday. We went two years ago, and the food, as you’re anticipating, is incredible.

  2. I just found your website this past week and love it! I made these last night for my boyfriend’s birthday. They are absolutely delish!

  3. Just FYI- I love those dark chocolate peanut butter cups from TJs. I’m eating them right now, they are back. I wasn’t sure if you knew that or not.

  4. I wanted to celebrate Nat’l Choc. Cake day yesterday with something with rich chocolate flavor. These cookies were perfect. Thanks!

  5. I’m really pumped to watch my friend make these.
    unfortunately, if I tried to make them myself they would fail. But that doesn’t make me ANY less excited.

  6. Yay! I’m making these cookies today (before I eat the whole tub of TJ’s dark choco pb cups). Hope you have great travels in italy…Thanks!

  7. Oh. My. Gosh. I made these cookies last weekend and they disappeared faster than I expected. Everyone that tried them had at least two cookies. One co-worker had three. (I had to take some in to work so they wouldn’t just be sitting on the counter looking all delicious.)

    Thanks so much for the recipe!!! It’s fabulous and I can’t wait to make the cookies again!

  8. Just came across your blog and fell in love!! Your recipes (especially this one) look scrumptious. Have a great time in Italy!

    :o)

  9. I have seen those dark chocolate reeses at the store, but have been scared to buy them for fear that an addiction might be born!
    These cookies look phenomenal and I have you to blame for impending sugar coma ;)

  10. delicious cookies for a sendoff! Have fun in Italy.. I’m jealous of all the fabulous food you’ll be eating!!

  11. Ooh, Italy! So jealous!

    These look positively sinful … here I am trying to make a somewhat healthy choc and peanut butter cookie and you go and blow my willpower completely away. Well, I suppose I could mix in some quinoa flour with all that chopped choc and peanut butter cups, right? Then your version would be healthy, too, right? (please say yes)
    :)

  12. crap i miss TJ’s. these remind me of Chips Ahoy’s cookies with Reese’s in them. yours taste way way better, no doubt. they look delicious!

  13. You’re going to love Italy! We went two years ago, and the food, as you’re anticipating, is incredible. If you have time, take a cooking class in Tuscany.

  14. mmm! dark chocolate AND peanut butter…yum. have a wonderful time in italy!

  15. These cookies are talking to me!

  16. Soooo jealous that you’re in Italy right now! I hope you’re having an amazing time and that you’re eating your weight in delicious food. Can’t wait to hear about your tip!

  17. YUM! Have a fabulous trip- can’t wait to hear all about it when you return ;)

  18. yes italy is the place for foodies. oh sweet sarah. lucky you. have fun.
    i am printing this cookie recipe out; always in search of the ultimate pb & c recipe

  19. Mmm, you had me at peanut butter. Can’t wait to make these. I’ll be heading to Europe tomorrow as well! See you in Venice! I’ll be the one elbow deep in a big bowl of pasta :)

  20. These look stunning! Thanks for sharing.
    Buon viaggio in Italia!

  21. DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!!!? What?! How have we missed these?! TJ’s here we come! Have a fabulous trip!

  22. Love the dark chocolate, cuts out on the super sweetness!

  23. Finally! This showed up in my RSS reader a week ago and wasn’t on the website so I couldn’t bookmark it. I searched the ENTIRE website for it, and then just had to resort to checking every day till it came back. :)

  24. I cant say in all honesty that I am a big fan of peanut butter cups, too sweet; however the dark choc ones in a chocolate cookie sounds too good to pass up. Plus since its an easy dough to make ahead and freeze, so thank you! Enjoy your vacation in Italy!

  25. Yum-o!!! I’m totally going to TJ’s this weekend!! Those look awesome! Have a super time in Italy!!

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