Grams Made Filled Peanut Butter Cups

In looking over my blogs for the past few weeks, I realized that I promised you a recipe for the Peanut Butter Cups that I made for Christmas. They are so simple that it's hardly fair to call it a recipe. They are made with a mix and pieces of candy and they are delicious. I will definitely make them again.

The recipes were adapted from recipes I found at both Betty Crocker and Pillsbury.

I made three different kinds of cookies using the same basic cookie. They came out so good that I used them for gifts. I will definitely make them again.

FOR THE BASIC COOKIE

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg

Heat oven to 375ºF. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Form dough into thirty-six 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons each); press into ungreased mini muffin cups.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven.



PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

36 Bite-Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Make the basic cookie. While cookies are hot and straight from the oven, press one peanut butter cup into each muffin. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing. (I think it goes without saying, but you must remove the paper wrapper from each Reese's Cup before pressing into cookie.)

SNICKERS CUPS

 

18 Bite-Size Snickers (1" x 1")

Make the basic cookie. While the cookies are baking, cut Snickers in half and press half of a Snickers bar into the peanut butter cookie cup when cookies are still hot and straight from the oven. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.

SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE CUPS

 

1 bag of Brach's caramels

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoons of sea salt

Make the basic cookie. While the cookies are hot, use the end of a wooden spoon to carefully press into center of each baked cookie to make an indentation.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and water on high 1 minute. Stir; repeat until caramels are completely melted and can be stirred smooth.

Fill each cookie cup with about 1 tablespoon melted caramels. Sprinkle a few granules of coarse sea salt on top of each. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.



I'm planning to make these again for Valentine's Day and fill them with chocolate fudge frosting which I will top with heart-shaped sprinkles. I can't wait to try them.

Grams Made Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Grams and Grandad are off to Houston later this week. It's time for Grandad's three-month follow-up visit with the electrophysiologist who did his cardiac ablation. I'll update on that after we see the doctor.

After that, we will meet up with other family members for one of my favorite weekends of the year. On Saturday, Grandad's family has it's annual golf tournament at Bluebonnet Golf Club in Navasota.  While they play golf, my sisters-in-law will join Katy, Marie and me for a day in Round Top for the Texas Antique Festival. Watch this space next week. I promise there will be lots of photos.

Katy, Travis and Our Little Princess will join us at Nick and Marie's house in Houston on Friday. In preparation for the trip, I spent this evening baking cookies which will be a nice treat for Our Little Princess. I doubled this recipe and it sure did take me a long time to bake them. (Note to self -- buy another sil-pat. It takes too long with only one.)

This is a very old recipe that's been around for years. The only change I've made is that I now use unsweetened all-natural peanut butter.


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
¾ cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, or about 2 to 4 hours.

Take tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls with hands. Place about 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. (I use a sil-pat instead of greasing the cookie sheet.) Using a dinner fork dipped in flour, lightly press cookies, flattening and forming a criss-cross pattern on each cookie.

Bake at 375° until golden brown, or about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen peanut butter cookies. 

I couldn't resist a taste test as they came out of the oven. They are delicious. Now I'm going to have to resist them for the next several days. It would be a shame if there were none left for Our Little Princess.

Since we'll be traveling, I probably won't be posting any new blog entries for the remainder of the week. Word is that we'll be having our first cool front of the season sometime this weekend. I can't wait for that first glimpse of fall when the air smells of promise. I hope you get a little bit of fall in your neighborhood too.