Peanut Butter Candy Bar Cookies and three winners!

Look at those innocent little cookies, hiding a sweet and salty treat. It all started when my husband reminded me that he had volunteered to bring a treat to work today. Sure, I said. After all, I bake a lot (ahem) and I didn't think it would be a big deal. Well, Tuesday was a crazy day and we ended up with Suns tickets from my dad, last minute. Before we could go, I had to borrow my uncles enormous truck and trailer, drive my kitchen table and chairs from my in laws basement where they've been waiting for us to finally get our house, so the electrician can place the chandelier, unload (thanks to my brother for the help), and try and fail to move the piano we got on Craigslist. We made it to the game in the middle of the first quarter which I considered quite a success. We had sweet seats and I'm so glad we got to go- especially since I just heard that Raja and Diaw were both traded away! Diaw is my best friend Kara's favorite eye candy (he's French, after all) and Raja used to be a model before he joined the NBA. That's all I'll say about that, since my dutiful husband reads my blog. My dad has actually met Raja a few times at work (Raja drives a BMW) and he says he's also quite nice.

Some how, though, the treats were forgotten, and I found myself listening to the whirl of the KitchenAid at 5:45 this morning as I made the requested peanut butter cookies. After I sent my tall man off with some criss-crossed peanut butter cookies, I decided to try wrapping some of the dough around Milky Way bars like Kara's mother in law does. Just scoop out a regular cookies worth of dough, flatten it in your palm, place about 1 inch of candy bar in the center (chop a big one, buy funsize, whatever works for you), and roll it around in your hand. Bake as usual. I don't think you'll be going back to the plain old peanut butter cookie. I know I won't (and I know I'll be looking at the Snickers, Milky Ways, and Three Musketeers differently from now on!)


Congratulations to Chocolate Chic, Megan from My Baking Adventures, and Allergy Mom who had the luck of the random number generator! Email me your address and we'll get your prize right out. Thanks everyone for the entries. I had an awesome time reading the great comments and hope it do it again soon. Now seriously... you probably have some left over candy bars in the pantry from Halloween. Go make these cookies!

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Cookies
by Anne Strawberry

1 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag bite size candy bars (or 4 full size bars) - Snickers, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, etc

Preheat oven to 375. Cut candy bars into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Mix in peanut butter. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scoop dough out, flatten slightly in your palm. Place one piece of candy into the middle and roll in your hand to wrap the chocolate into the middle of the dough. Please on baking sheet, spacing apart generously, and bake from 9-12 minutes until dough has set but before cookies take on too much color. Remove from sheet and allow to cool. Enjoy warm!