These delicious chocolate-peanut butter cookies work best with a natural-style or freshly ground peanut butter. You can make chocolate-peanut butter coins even more special by half-dipping them in chocolate or drizzling chocolate on top.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Using a mixer and mixing bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the sugar and mix together until smooth.
In a small bowl, stir the egg with the vanilla.
Add to the butter mixture, blending well.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixture in three stages.
Add the peanut butter and blend well.
Divide the dough in half.
Place each piece on a large rectangle of waxed paper.
Roll each piece into a cylinder 8 to 10 inches long and 1 inch thick.
Wrap the cylinders in the waxed paper, wrap again in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, until firm.
You can freeze the cylinders at this point. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cut each cylinder into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Place on the cookie sheet with 2 inches between them.
Bake for 10 minutes or until firm.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place on cooling racks for a few minutes.
Transfer the cookies from the cookie sheet to the cooling racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week.
Freeze for longer storage.
Per serving: Calories 68 (From fat 32); Fat 4g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 9mg; Sodium 32mg; Carbohydrate 9g (Dietary fiber 1g); Protein 1g.