Monday, July 29, 2013

Peanut Butter Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Okay. So.



I am constantly on the lookout for the best peanut butter cookie recipe. It's hard to find one that makes the cookies turn out the way I like them: chewy and moist (rather than crunchy and dry). There's a bakery near where I went to high school called the Cake & Pastry that has these massive, but almost peerrrfect peanut butter cookies. I've been toying with the idea of asking them for their recipe for years, but I never feel quite right about it.


So when I came across this recipe for whole-wheat cookies with peanut butter chips AND toffee in them, I haaaad to give them a go. They are fabulous! Such a wonderful texture and the chips/toffee add a nice little crunch. I've made them with regular chocolate chips as well, but I prefer the peanut butter ones for a more intense peanut flavor.


When I saw that the July Chocolate Blog Party ingredient was ice cream, I knew I wanted to make ice cream sandwiches with these cookies. They are scrumptious on their own, and with ice cream...so yummy. I filled them with Haagen Daz vanilla chocolate chip (I wanted to do vanilla chocolate swirl, but the store was out). Another little side rant: Haagen Daz ice cream is way too good. Dangerous. Even their plain vanilla is absolutely delicious (and unbeatable). So with chocolate chips, and these peanut butter cookies. Such a wonderful combination. I love summer. <3



Cookies:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (all purpose works too)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (Reese's, sold in most grocery stores)
1/2 cup Heath Bar bits (also sold in most grocery stores)
1 pint Haagen Daz Vanilla Chocolate Chip ice cream (or any flavor you'd like)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.


Cream the butter on medium speed for about two minutes until nice and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the sugars, salt and peanut butter.


Cream on medium speed until everything is combined (scraping the bowl to be sure nothing gets left behind). Add the egg, baking soda and vanilla and beat just until mixed in. Then add the flour, and mix on low until it just comes together.


Fold the chips and bits in by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon. Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough on to your cookie sheets, 2 inches apart (or spoon it out into rounded tablespoons). Flatten slightly with your hand.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool completely before assembling your sandwiches.

Assembly:
Using a small ice cream scoop, place one scoop on half of the cookies, and sandwich together with the remaining half.


Wrap each sandwich in wax paper, and store in an airtight tupperware container, or a Ziploc bag, in the freezer until serving.



There ya go. Ice cream sandwiches are the best. They're versatile (sooo many flavor combinations) and so easy.


Wheeere did summer go? It's already almost August. I'll be starting my last year of college in just a few weeks. Scary. Then the real world is going to come knocking. Well, first culinary school. Then real world. Eeek. Time to go eat ice cream to feel like a kid again.




Rules of the Chocolate Blog Party:
Our recipes will be shared on the first Monday of each month and you can submit your own recipes until the end of the month. You can submit up to 3 recipes each month.
To make sure everyone is having fun, there are a few rules you’ll have to follow.
1.) Blog about your chocolate treat. Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose. It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake, the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.
2.) Include a link back to a monthly round-up or the Chocolate party page.   Optional, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar.
3.) Your recipe must be published during the current month. Please do not link old recipes, they will be deleted.

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