We started making this as muffins, and it wasn’t quite right. Then we put it in a loaf pan, and it overflowed. Make this delicious pumpkin bread in a 2 quart baking dish (11×7), or a pan smaller than a 9×13 but larger than a loaf.

Ingredients

Not sure what to bring to that party? Chocolate on the outside, peanut butter on the inside - these tasty cookies are always a yummy surprise! Watch the videos for step by step instructions from the MessyBaker.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour (ours is whole wheat)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup organic unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all natural creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 TB milk (ours is organic skim milk)
2 tsp vanilla

Filling:
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 TB milk (If your peanut butter is all natural with no added oils,  use 2 TB milk)

Topping (optional): 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. In medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar and 1/4 cup peanut butter until combined.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
5. Form the chocolate dough into 24 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

Filling:
6. Stir 1/2 cup peanut butter, milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
7. Shape mixture into 24 3/4-inch balls. 

Combine the dough and filling (shown in the video):

8. In the palm of your hand, flatten a chocolate dough ball. Place a peanut butter ball in the center. Shape the chocolate dough around the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling.
9. Repeat with all the dough, placing balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
10. Bake cookies for 9 minutes, or until surface slightly cracks.
11. For an extra pretty touch - lightly flatten each cookies with the bottom of a wet glass dipped in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Perfect for parties, these chocolate cookies kill a sugar craving, chocolate craving, or make great “bread” for a down-and-dirty peanut butter samich!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (ours is organic)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar (ours is raw cane sugar)
• 2 eggs (ours are from free roaming hens)
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (ours is a blend of 1/3 white to 2/3 whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup Cocoa
• Additional sugar sprinkled on a plate to roll the dough in…

Directions:

1. Beat butter, 1-1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.

2. Combine flour and cocoa in a second bowl.

3. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

4. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to roll by hand without it sticking to your hands.

5. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-1/8-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

6. Bake 9 minutes on cookie sheet or 11 minutes on insulated cookie pan, or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Adapted from a Hershey’s recipe.