Peanut Butter Cookies with Salted Chocolate Ganache

Peanut butter + chocolate + a touch of flaky sea salt - yes, yes, yes and please pass me two.

This is for all the peanut butter cup lovers out there because if peanut butter cups were cookies, these would be them. They're perfect little bites of super-soft peanut-butteriness topped with a swirl of silky chocolate ganache and a few flakes of sea salt, because salted chocolate is my version of heaven on earth. You feel the same way, right? Okaygood.

this recipe

Honestly though? I think we should just spend about 5 minutes staring at the glory that is warm, shiny chocolate ganache. I don't know if chocolate has ever had a way of looking more gorgeous or more tempting.

As you'll see in the recipe below, these are sort of cheater cutout cookies because rolling and cutting dough is like my worst nightmare. That being said, they're really easy to make, and the chocolate ganache is also super-simple and glides onto each cookie like a dream. And then you eat them and they are dreamy. Life is gooooood. :)

Last thing: I created these cookies in collaboration with OXO and Cookies for Kids's Cancer, and I would love it if you stick with me for 5 more seconds to hear a little about this incredible cause. OXO is donating $100 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer for every blog post dedicated to the campaign in the month of September. Also, as as part of their $100,000 pledge* to Cookies for Kids' Cancer, they're donating 25 cents  in support of pediatric cancer research for every specially marked OXO product with this sticker:

Here's a list of all the products included in the campaign this month. You can find them at participating OXO retailers. :)

In 2014, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer through specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids' Cancer is a recognized 501c(3) public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. 100% of proceeds raised by Cookies for Kids' Cancer fund pediatric cancer research.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Salted Chocolate Ganache

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These super-soft peanut butter cookies are topped with a swirly layer of chocolate ganache and a touch of sea salt. They make the perfect peanut butter + chocolate lover's treat!

• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 7 minutes
• Yield: 35 cookies

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 9 ½ ounces (2 ¼ cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 7 ½ ounces (1 cup, packed) brown sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 11 ¼ ounces (1 ¼ cups) creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Salted Chocolate Ganache

• 6 ounces chocolate, finely chopped (I used 70% bittersweet)
• 6 ⅛ ounces (¾ cup) heavy cream
• sea salt flakes, for garnish

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a bowl and a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and yolk one at a time, beating each in until well-incorporated and wiping down the bowl and beater as needed. Beat in the peanut butter until smoothly and completely incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix in on lowest speed until mostly incorporated, with a few streaks of flour still visible. Finish folding the batter together by hand, just until evenly combined. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or longer.*
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion the dough out into 1 ¼ ounces portions.** Roll each into a ball and place, about 6 at a time, on prepared baking sheet, well spread apart. Use your palm to flatten each ball out into a fairly round shape, about 3 ½" wide and 3/16" thick. Use a 3 ¼ round cookie cutter to trim the edges off each round and form perfect circles. If desired, use the tip of a fork to press a pattern around the edge of each cookie. Chill another 15 minutes in refrigerator.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, just until tops look dry and cookies are puffy (they will flatten out as they cool).
6. Let cookies cool on pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to another surface to finish cooling. Cool completely before topping with ganache.

Salted Chocolate Ganache

1. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl with room for cream.
2. In a separate, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream for 40-60 seconds, just until it starts to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
3. Use an icing spatula or the back of a spoon to spread a layer of ganache over each cookie. Once all have been covered and ganache has cooled a bit, sprinkle cookies lightly with sea salt. Cookies can be served immediately, or after ganache has set.
4. Store in an airtight container. These can be kept at room temperature for a day or two but otherwise should be kept in the refrigerator.

Notes

*The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks before baking, if desired.

**Since you can only bake 6 cookies per tray, keep any excess dough in the refrigerator until ready to use. Making sure cookie sheet cools before using for next batch of cookies (running cold water over it will speed up the process).

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