Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

My brother-in-law isn't one to pass along compliments easily. His response when my husband brought these cookies up north for deer hunting: "Drop whatever you are doing and make 2 more buckets of those cookies for next weekend ... They are f-ing good."

These cookies require a bit of patience in terms of chilling the dough, but the positive is that you can have freshly baked cookies several days in a row. This recipe from Brown Eyed Baker is definitely a repeat!

Note: This is one of those recipes where it truly is best to weigh the dry ingredients, but other measurements are included.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
8½ oz. (2 cups) bread flour
8½ oz. (2 cups + 2 Tbsp.) cake flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. salt
1¼ tsp. baking soda
1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
10 oz.(1⅓ cups) light brown sugar
8 oz. (1 cup + 2 Tbsp.) sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1½ cups (8 oz.) mini peanut butter cups, halved
¾ cup milk chocolate chips
¾ cup peanut butter chips
Fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Whisk both flours, the baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a medium bowl, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add both sugars, and continue beating on medium speed until very light, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, and then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups by hand until evenly distributed.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 72  hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Divide the dough into 2 1/2 oz. balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space between the cookies. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and then bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown.

Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack, and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes before removing the cookies to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. (Allow the baking sheet to cool between batches or use additional baking sheets.) The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Makes 30-32 giant cookies.

Turtle Layer Cake

This cake was my sweet treat from Life, Love and Sugar for my family for Thanksgiving. (Check out the link for pictures of the beautiful cake.) It was a huge hit with everyone because although it's definitely sweet, it's not over the top. This is great for times when you're busy but want an impressive dessert because most of the work can be done ahead of time for a rather quick assembly.

For example, I baked my cakes and stuck them in the freezer. Then I made the caramel sauce and put that in the refrigerator. (Or you could buy a jar, too, I suppose.) You could even toast your pecans ahead of time, but I did that while I assembled the cake.

Bottom line: looks impressive with relatively little effort and tastes great!

Turtle Layer Cake

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup dark cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Caramel Sauce and Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar

9 Tbsp. salted butter, cubed, room temperature

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp. milk

Chocolate Ganache

9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Additional

3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

 

Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 300ºF.

 

Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl, and combine. Add eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients, and mix well. Slowly add water, and mix well.

 

Divide batter evenly between cakes pans, and bake for about 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Remove cakes from oven, and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, and then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. 

 

While the oven is warm, place pecans on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

 

While cakes cool, make the caramel sauce and icing by pouring sugar into an even layer in a large saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat, whisking the sugar until melted. The sugar will clump up first but will eventually completely melt. This will take about 10 minutes.

 

Once the sugar has melted, stop whisking, and allow to cook until the sugar has turned to a little darker amber color. You may notice a nutty aroma. The change in color will happen quickly, so don't let it go too long or get too dark and burn. Remove caramel from the heat. 

 

Add butter, and whisk until combined. The mixture will bubble up, but keep whisking until all the butter has melted and combined. Slowly pour the heavy cream into the caramel, and whisk until incorporated. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before using.

 

Set aside about 1/3 cup of caramel sauce, and then transfer remaining caramel sauce to a mixing bowl. Slowly add powdered sugar and milk, and mix until smooth. You can add more or less milk to get the right consistency for the icing.

 

Make the ganache by adding the chocolate chips to a metal or glass bowl. Microwave the heavy whipping cream until boiling, and then pour over the chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, and whisk chocolate until smooth. Microwave in 5-10 second increments as needed, if chocolate isn't fully smooth and melted. 

 

When the cakes are cool, remove the tops of the cakes with a large serrated knife so they are flat. Place the first layer of cake on cake stand. Top with 1 cup of the caramel icing, and spread into an even layer. Top icing with about 1/4 cup of chopped pecans, and then drizzle with some chocolate ganache and caramel sauce. 

 

Add second layer of cake, and add another 1/4 cup of chopped pecans, caramel sauce and chocolate ganache. Top cake with remaining cake layer. Pour remaining ganache over the cake, and allow it to drizzle down the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until the ganache is firm. (Otherwise your frosting will slide right off, not that I had that happen at first.) Pipe caramel icing around the top edges of the cake, then sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans and drizzle with caramel sauce.