Giant Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 12 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 986
- Total Fat
- 61
- Saturated Fat
- 24
- Carbohydrates
- 98
- Dietary Fiber
- 4
- Sugar
- 62
- Protein
- 19
- Cholesterol
- 102
- Sodium
- 240
- Total: 3 hr 20 min (includes chilling and cooling time)
- Active: 50 min
Ingredients
Cookies:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling (see Cook's Note)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Filling:
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
- For the cookies: Stir together the flour and baking soda in a bowl. Cream the butter and both sugars on high speed in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Divide the dough in half, form into 2 rectangles, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Cut a 12-inch peanut shape out of parchment to use as a template. Roll one piece of dough between two pieces of parchment to a rectangle a little bigger than the template. Remove the top piece of parchment and, using a pizza wheel or paring knife, cut the dough into a peanut shape. Reserve the dough scraps. Repeat with the remaining dough piece. Mold the scraps into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and chill along with the peanut shapes until firm, about 30 minutes.
- For the filling: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the peanut butter and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, about a 1/4 cup at a time, beating in between additions, until completely incorporated.
- To build the cookie: Roll out the chilled rectangle of dough scraps into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Use a pizza wheel or sharp paring knife to cut long strips about 1/2-inch wide. Transfer the peanut-shaped pieces of dough on their pieces of parchment to 2 baking sheets. Lay the dough strips on top of one of the peanut-shaped pieces of dough in a crisscross, freeform pattern to mimic the lines on a peanut. Use a rolling pin to gently flatten and adhere the strips to the peanut.
- Bake the cookies until lightly golden around the edges and dry on top, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheets on a wire rack.
- Turn over the cookie without lines so it sits flat-side up on a flat serving plate. Spread the filling evenly to the edges. Top with the second cookie, lined-side up. Use a serrated knife to cut into squares for serving.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)