Sometimes you can just tell that a recipe is going to enter your permanent rotation. These clever cookies by Barbara Estabrook of Rhinelander, Wisconsin are just such a recipe. Sweet and salty all at once, the rich peanut butter is what will keep me coming back.
Peanut and Pretzel-Peanut Butter Thumbprints
- Prep Time: 30 Min
- Total Time: 1 Hr 35 Min
- Makes: 30 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
- 2/3 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped mini-pretzel twists
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Procedure
- Heat oven to 350°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat condensed milk and peanut butter over medium-low heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla until well blended. Refrigerate about 20 minutes or until thickened.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add peanuts and pretzels. Mix with wooden spoon, or knead with hands until well blended. Shape dough into 30 (about 1 1/4-inch) balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven; immediately press back of teaspoon into center of each cookie to make indentation. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Place peanut butter mixture in large resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off small corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe about 1 tablespoon mixture in center of each cookie to fill indentation.
- In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 40 to 60 seconds, stirring once, until chips can be stirred smooth. Place melted chips in small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle melted chips over cookies. Let stand 10 minutes. Store covered.
Note: the Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Check out my coverage of the 45th and 46th Bake-Off, and follow the recipes posted so far by clicking the bakeoff tag below.