The magic never ends here, and this is your proof: magical cups made of peanut butter--the perfect vessel for peanut butter chocolate mousse!
You'll find the entire recipe and tutorial in all its glory on Peanut Butter and Company's website.
Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
Look at this: a sweet treat that is also officially dude food!
Darryl Pozzanghera of Rochester, New York came up with this clever recipe, which includes cookies sandwiched with an easy ice cream-esque dairy filling. It's noted in the headnote that "Gluten-free frosty treats are ready and waiting. A sweet stash in your freezer creates instant smiles and cool satisfaction." I'm definitely ready!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 30 Min
- Total Time: 2 Hr 20 Min
- Makes: 8 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Sweetened Condensed Milk (from 14-oz can)
- 1/2 teaspoon double strength vanilla extract (Watkins)
- 1 cup crushed gluten-free chocolate-covered crispy peanut-buttery candy, about 2 bars (2.1 oz each)
- 1 container Pillsbury™ Gluten Free refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
- 1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
Procedure
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with Reynolds® Parchment Paper; place in freezer. Place large bowl in freezer.
- Cut 8 (12x5-inch) strips aluminum Foil. Fold each piece lengthwise in half; fold lengthwise in half again to make 12x1 1/4-inch strip. Slide 1 end of each strip into fold on opposite end to make 3-inch ring.
- Remove bowl from freezer; add whipping cream, condensed milk and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on high speed about 6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the crushed candy; gently stir until combined.
- Remove parchment-lined cookie sheet from freezer. Arrange foil rings 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Spoon about 1/2 cup candy cream mixture into each ring; spread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze about 1 hour or until firm.
- Meanwhile, place remaining crushed candy in shallow bowl; set aside.
- In medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Add peanut butter; mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Shape dough into 16 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten to 2 1/4 inch round with bottom of drinking glass. Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Remove cookie sheet from freezer. Remove foil ring from each frozen candy cream round. For each sandwich, place 1 candy cream round onto bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; press together slightly. Gently roll edge of each sandwich in remaining crushed candy. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm. Store in freezer.
About this post: Note: the Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Check out my coverage of the 45th and 46th Bake-Off events, and follow the recipes posted so far by clicking the bakeoff tag below.
Fried Peanut Butter Crescent Bombs
Photo via Pillsbury
Some days are easy; some are hard.
I've found, though, that a a sweet treat can do wonders in terms of turning the latter into the former. Case in point: this fine specimen, called "Fried Peanut Butter Crescent Bombs". Talk about an explosion of om nom nom: these are basically like peanut butter filled croissants, deep fried and coated in sugar. That's a day-maker if I've ever heard of one.
While this recipe very much fits in my world view, I can only wish it was mine: it was part of a roundup Pillsbury sent me a roundup of their "State Fair-inspired" recipes. This isn't the only bit of wonder in that collection: it also includes such classics as churros on a stick to deep-fried candy bars to pizza cones. OMG!
But I'm sure you're ready to move on to the bombs, so here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Fried Peanut Butter Crescent Bombs
Courtesy of Pillsbury
Prep time: 15 min / Total time: 35 min
- 2 cups peanut butter
- 1 can Pillsbury "Place and bake" refrigerated crescent rounds
- Canola oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Procedure
- A day ahead of serving, line sheet pan with cooking parchment paper. Place 32 individual tablespoons of peanut butter in pan. Freeze overnight.
- On serving day, heat oil in heavy saucepan to 350°F.
- Separate dough into rounds. Cut each into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each piece of dough tightly around 1 frozen spoon of peanut butter.
- Fry each filled dough ball in hot oil until evenly browned on all sides. Cool about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.
What's your favorite fried treat?
Season of the 'Wich: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Bread Pudding Recipe
Should you ever find yourself with a stockpile of five or so extra peanut butter sandwiches, have I ever got the recipe for you.
It's bread pudding, but with a big difference: instead of using plain old stupid bread, you're using peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cut into cubes, soaked in a luxuriant custard mixture and baked to golden perfection.
Seriously. Your glass of milk is going to slap away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches forever after this, demanding this pudding instead.
The center is just solid enough to stay firm when sliced, but turns into a wondrous custardy, creamy, peanut buttery goo in your mouth, ribboned with sweet strawberry jelly. 
The top is lightly crispy and golden, and portions of jelly on the top and sides sort of caramelize into a slightly crackly but oh so pleasing candy-like consistency. All of the combinations of flavors and textures coming together, plus the nostalgia aspect of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but the joy of a grown-up recipe, makes for a highly pleasing dessert.
You're welcome. Now, here's how you make it at home.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Bread Pudding
Makes 9 servings
- Five peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a standard white bread sized bread
- 2 cups whole milk or cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1/4 cup jelly (same kind you used in the sandwiches)
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x9-inch pan.
- Slice the sandwiches into approximately 1-inch squares. Clean the knife between cuts if it starts to get sticky. Place all of the pieces in a large bowl.
- In a large bowl, mix the 2 cups of milk with the eggs, until combined. Set aside for a moment.
- In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and jelly. If you don't have salted butter, use unsalted but add a teaspoon of salt. It makes a difference. Once they are all melted and cohesive, remove from heat. Gently pour the warm mixture into the milk and egg mixture, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling.
- Pour the mixture over the sandwich cubes, very gently stirring to ensure even coverage while not letting the sandwiches come apart.
- Spoon the thick mixture into the prepared pan. It's OK to be 3/4 of the way full, but don't fill it all the way. Gently press down the pieces on the top one more time, to ensure that they have penty of custardy coating.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden on top and just lightly wobbly in the middle. Let cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes before serving, or until set. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. This pudding can be served warm or cold.
Chip off the Old Block: Peanut Butter Chips with Jelly Salsa Recipe for Peanut Butter and Co.
Everyone knows that chips and salsa are a delicious precursor to a Mexican meal. But what about giving them a sweet and spicy and rich peanut butter makeover to continue the party post-dinner?
It’s time to introduce Peanut Butter Dessert Chips with Fruit Salsa, a dish wherein plain flour tortillas are brushed with a decadent peanut butter, brown sugar and butter mixture and baked until crispy, then served with jam or preserves. It’s a snap to prepare and makes for some sweetly addictive eating.
Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Fudge Recipe
There was a time, in my childhood, during which my parents chose to go without a microwave. I know--hippies!
As a result, I became exceedingly adept at cooking everything with the toaster--for instance, putting foil on top of the toaster oven and heating up microwave pizza using the heat rising from inside of the toaster. Totally not a fire hazard at all.
These days, now that I have a microwave of my very own, I really want you to know that I appreciate its presence very much and strive to honor it whenever possible. And what bigger tribute to la belle microwave than making delicious microwave fudge? This is a riff on a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com, but I made the executive decision to use half and half instead of milk (good idea) and to add a healthy dose of peanut butter chips for added rich deliciousness. Here's how you make some microwave magic at home:
Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Fudge
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 cup half and half, divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup peanut butter chip morsels, divided into 1/2 and 1/4 cup
Procedure
- Line an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch pyrex pan with parchment paper or waxed paper.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Pour 1/4 cup of the half and half over the mixture and place butter in bowl. Do not mix (it will be too thick to mix, anyway). Microwave on high until butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of the peanut butter morsels. Stir vigorously until smooth. You can also put the mixture into a stand mixer if that sounds exhausting. If your mixture is too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more half and half, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together in a fudge-like consistency.
- Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan and using a rubber spatula, spread the mixture so that it is evenly distributed. If desired, sprinkle the top with the remaining peanut butter morsel chips.
- Chill in the refrigerator for an hour, or the freezer for half an hour, before serving. Makes about 16 squares.
Sweet and Salty: Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies Recipe for Peanut Butter and Co.
Looking for cookies to serve during your July 4 festivities? Bake this cookie that creates an explosion of flavors in your mouth, of the sweet-savory kind. The sweet drop cookies are nicely contrasted by the saltiness of the chips, but get a fascinating flavor dimension from the nutty Smooth Operator peanut butter. One bite and even doubters will be singing a new story.
Note: I found that you can also get extra flavor-points by using The Bee’s Knees peanut butter, which adds pleasing mellow end-note from the honey mingling with the brown sugar.
For the full entry and recipe, visit Peanut Butter & Co's website!
Peanut Buttery Goodness: Chocolate Pasta with Peanut Butter Sauce Recipe for Peanut Butter and Co
Oh, I’m sorry. Are you still eating regular pasta, like a jerk?
Time to get with the program: I’m talking chocolate pasta. It’s readily available online, and it’s well worth the investment.
But even an inherently perfect product like this can stand to become slightly awesomer, and so I propose Chocolate Pasta served with peanut butter cookie “meatballs” and a rich, crunchy peanut butter buttercream sauce. It may not be pretty, but it tastes like heaven on a plate. In fact, the only thing that might make it better is a thick slice of buttered pound cake on the side.
Lastly, this makes a swell April Fools’ dessert for someone or some people you love to have fun with
Green and Sweet: St. Patrick's Day Peanut Butter Truffles Recipe for Peanut Butter and Co.
As any leprechaun knows, the journey to the end of the rainbow can be pretty long and arduous. And while the treasure at the end of the line is totally sweet in the figurative sense, the fact is, gold does little to satisfy the physical appetite.
These truffles, however, comprised of a sweet filling with crispy cereal and creamy, rich peanut butter and generously coated with festive green candy coating, are worth their weight in gold when it comes to a satisfying St. Patrick’s Day snack–delicious for humans and leprechauns alike.
For the full entry, more photos and the recipe, visit Peanut Butter & Co.!
Just Dough It: Homemade Do-Si-Do Girl Scout Cookies for Serious Eats
Girl Scouts can teach you everything you will ever need to know about teamwork. How, exactly? Just look to the cookie. I'm talking, of course, about Do-Si-Dos (sometimes called Peanut Butter Sandwiches), where peanut butter and oatmeal cookie work together to make one beautiful baked good. And—even better—they're served in sandwich form, which means that you get to eat two at once, with frosting. Could there possibly be a more warm and fuzzy hand-holding experience of a cookie?
This homemade version, adapted from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, comes out a bit fatter and more moist than the original (not such a bad thing, right?), but the flavor is fairly spot-on: sweet, nutty, lightly salty, and very buttery. That is to say, dangerously addictive.
Not keen on the peanut butter and oatmeal pairing? Try your hand at homemade Thin Mints, Tagalongs, or Samoas instead!
Awesome Overload: Homemade Samoas With Peanut Butter
I know, I know. You probably went into the sweetest sort of sugar shock when I posted those Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies.
But I want to know that there's a way to make them even awesomer.
It's true. And it involves peanut butter.
While appointing my Samoas with chocolate on top, out of the corner of my eye a jar of peanut butter caught my eye, and a little lightbulb went off in my head.
And I'm happy to report that yes, adding a dollop of peanut butter to the coconut-topped Samoas, and then finishing it off with a Hershey's kiss or big dollop of chocolate topping is extremely delicious.
Want to try it yourself? Simply follow the recipe I posted on Serious Eats, but after topping the cookies with your coconut mixture, add a teaspoon of peanut butter and then top with either hershey's kisses or a dollop of the chocolate topping called for in the recipe. Easy as pie! I mean, cookie?
Thanksgiving Pie Chronicles: Cranberry Pecan Pie in a Maple Peanut Butter Cookie Crust for Peanut Butter and Co.
CakeSpy Note: Did you know that I'm an all-star? Well, an all-star blogger, anyway, for the lovely and amazing Peanut Butter and Co.! Here's a peek at my latest recipe entry, for Cranberry Pecan Pie in a Maple Peanut Butter Crust!
Don’t get me wrong–Thanksgiving has a lot going for it food-wise. But sadly, the traditional offerings are extremely lacking in rich, delicious peanut butter.
But what if–just what if–you combined classic Thanksgiving flavors with a peanut butter cookie crust?
I wanted to find out, and so I prepared a thick Mighty Maple peanut butter cookie crust, which I then filled with a mixture of tart, unsweetened cranberries and crunch pecans, all topped with a thick, brown sugary, pecan pie-inspired filling. The result? Total magic: the tartness of the cranberries is perfectly balanced by the richness of the peanut butter and pecans, and the maple and sugar contribute plenty of sweetness. It’s a flavor combination to be thankful for, indeed.
For the full entry and recipe, visit the All-Star Recipe Blog on Peanut Butter and Co.!
Trick or Sweet: Peanut Butter Cookies on a Stick for Peanut Butter and Co.
CakeSpy Note: You knew I did recipes for Peanut Butter & Co., right? Here's my latest one.
There are probably foods out there that aren’t improved by being served on a stick, but none come to mind at the moment.
But which one is the most fun to serve around Halloween? My vote goes to these peanut butter cookies on a stick. They’re part trick, decorated to look like pumpkins–but they’re even more treat, with a rich, cakey texture and rich, peanut buttery flavor that is far more delicious than any fun-size candy bar could ever hope to be.
Lovely Leche: Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
When I encountered the recipe for Dulce de Leche Cheesecake bars in last month's issue of Bon Appetit, my eyes got really big and I think I probably said something like "Whoa".
After a brief moment of despair at having no graham crackers or cream cheese in the house, I found myself wondering "could this work with peanut butter and Reese's Puffs cereal instead?". And so I made said substitutions, and found myself with a pretty tasty treat. They could have chilled longer to set, but friends had no problem dealing with the dulce de leche ooze.
Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 2 1/4 cups finely ground Reese's Puffs cereal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 16-ounce jar peanut butter (preferably smooth, full-fat)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
- 2/3 cup purchased dulce de leche
- 3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream
- (optional) a spoonful of hot fudge sauce
Procedure
- Make the Crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray (I used an 8x8-inch pan for fat, thick bars). Mix cereal crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
- Make the Filling. Blend peanut butter and sugar in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing 3 to 5 seconds to blend between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla; process until blended, about 10 seconds. Spread batter evenly over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
- Make the Glaze. Heat dulce de leche, 3 tablespoons cream and chocolate sauce (if using) in microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour (amount of cream needed will depend on brand of dulce de leche). Pour glaze over cooled baked mixture; spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (glaze will not be firm). Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled. Sprinkle bars with fleur de sel.
Nut'n Honey: Honey Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies
You probably don't think of peanut butter cookies as a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, but you should.
I was immediately intrigued when I discovered this recipe in my beloved Betty Crocker's Cooky Book
And based on how quickly they disappeared when I put them out at my shop, I'd say that the public agrees. Well, either that, or people will eat anything when it's free.
Note: The original recipe calls for 2/3 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts. I split the difference and used a cup-and-a-bit extra of chunky peanut butter--this kind, if you're curious. Also, I used more baking powder than specified in the original recipe.
Honey Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies
Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book
- Makes about 30 cookies -
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup honey or corn syrup (I used honey)
- 1 cup (and maybe a spoonful extra) chunky peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Procedure
- Mix butter, sugar, honey, peanut butter, and egg thoroughly.
- Mix your remaining dry ingredients together, and then stir in bit by bit to your wet ingredient mix. If it is too dry, add a few drops of milk or cream until it is cohesive.
- Roll into a couple of logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Heat oven to 400 F. Cut dough in fat slices (I did about 1/2 inch) and place about 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown on the edges. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Sweet Obsession: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Inspired by David Lebovitz
Being a good baker is one thing, but being a baker worthy of stalking is completely another.
I'm talking, of course, about David Lebovitz, who introduces the recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies in his new book, Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes
Shortly after my first book came out, my phone rang one night a little after 10:30 p.m. A reader had tracked me down to let me know, with urgency, that she loved these cookies, but that they took 10 minutes to bake in her oven instead of the 9 minutes indicated in the recipe.
When in doubt, err on the side of underbaking so your peanut butter cookies remain moist. Take them out when they are still a bit soft, as they'll continue to firm up a bit after cooling. This time, I've given a bit more latitude to the timing so as to avoid any late-night baking-related emergency phone calls.
Though he never quite says it, the message is pretty clear: this baking rock star has serious stalkers--er, groupies.
But were these cookies really stalker-worthy? I had to see for myself.
I've only made one change from the recipe as printed in the book: instead of using regular creamy peanut butter, I've used Peanut Butter and Company's Dark Chocolate Dreams, figuring that if anything, chocolate will make the recipe even better.
The result? A cookie that is very much the dictionary definition of what a peanut butter cookie should be: moist at the center, lightly crumbly just around the edges, with every bite rich in peanut buttery (accent on the butter) goodness.
These cookies will disappear quickly. Worthy of the worship? Well, let's just say you're gonna need the sugar-and-protein burst of energy to stand outside of Mr. Lebovitz's Parisian pad, clutching boombox a la Lloyd Dobler. Just remember whose idea it was to add the chocolate, sweeties.
Peanut Butter Cookies Worth Stalking
Adapted from Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes
Makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, or to take my variation, 1 cup Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Procedure
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, and peanut butter on medium speed just until smooth. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture and mix just until the dough comes together. It will be a thick, solid mass of dough.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least two hours, but up to overnight.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Break off pieces of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls (the recipe calls for rolling them in granulated sugar, but I didn't do that. They were fine without this step, in my opinion, especially considering the added sweetness from the chocolate peanut butter).
- Place on prepared (parchment-lined) baking sheets. Leave 3 inches between cookies. Lightly flatten and make a crosshatch pattern on each cookie using the tines of a fork (a spork doesn't work--no follow up questions).
- Bake, rotating the sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are dull and lightly browned around the edges but still lightly glossy/undercooked-looking in the middle (as they cool on the sheet they'll finish up). The bake time will be between 9-10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheet (they will crumble if you try to remove them right away) and then transfer to a wire rack using a spatula. These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container, if they last that long.
Want more? You can buy the most excellent book here