People. My best friend did a terrible, terrible thing.

She got pregnant with her first baby, the first baby between the two of us, a week before I went off and moved to Cape Town for almost a year. We didn’t know she was pregnant when we tearfully said goodbye, also known as me sitting around shocked, dazed, and useless because of our stressful departure and not believing I was actually moving to South Africa. Instead, I found out when I’d been here for two weeks over a crappy excuse for a phone call because our internet is just oh so awful.

So I missed my best friend’s first baby shower, which I should have thrown, I don’t get to cook her a single thing during her pregnancy, I don’t get to see her big belly, I don’t get to shop with her, I don’t get to jump up and scream with excitement with her, I didn’t get to help her and her husband move into their first house and decorate the nursery, I don’t get to be there for my best friend during her labor. And worst of all, I don’t get to meet this precious little girl who is already so special to me until she’s already two months old.

I really meant that to sound silly and whiny, but now I’m totally bummed out. I couldn’t be happier that Fiance and I made the decision to come to Cape Town and am so grateful we even got the opportunity, but man oh man. I’m definitely sad I’m missing this.

So, instead of walking by baby stores and saying, “Ooooh, let’s go look!” and having Fiance retort, “No, we don’t have any money,” I decided to contribute in a different way. Here’s what I would have baked for my best friend had I been able to throw her a baby shower. Or just for her to munch on while finding an hour or so to relax in her now very busy life. Because nothing makes the heart sing like peanut butter + chocolate.

These super fudgy, soft chocolate cookies come from Sally’s Baking Addiction. And they are totally the tastiest. I added the pink candy pearls in the spirit of baby girl, but you could just use sprinkles or nothing at all. They won’t be as fun, though.

The filling is made of peanut butter whipped with powdered sugar: easy, yummy, and fluffy. Muster some self-control before making it- if you’re a peanut butter lover like me, you’ll be hard pressed to not just dip some apples in there and eat the bowl.

Although I have yet to be pregnant myself, I can’t help but think I’d love the brownie-like fudginess and creamy peanut butter that is these cookies. Really, these cookies have a few alternative titles: “Cookies for Kimberly” (my best friend) or “Pregnancy Hormones Tempered by Chocolate” (it’s a play on “Death by Chocolate”… get it??? get it?! Okay, Fiance didn’t laugh, either) would definitely suffice.

So make these for your pregnant friend, your pregnant self, or just for your non-child-carrying-you because you also deserve some chocolatey goodness in your life.

And Kimmy, I hope you can enjoy just feasting on these with your eyes for now… I’ll make them for you in a few months!

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Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Yield: 8 Cookies

Ingredients
 

Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips, regular are fine, too
  • Candy pearls or sprinkles, optional

Filling:

  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Use a handheld or standing mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until lighter in color and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Add the sugars and beat until creamed together on medium speed, for another 30 seconds. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Over medium low speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very thick. Mix in the milk and chocolate chips by hand.
  • Cover the dough with saran wrap in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to 36 hours.
  • After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Roll the dough into balls a bit larger than a tablespoon each and arrange a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. You should have 16 cookies. Press them down just a bit and press pearls or sprinkles into the dough, if you’re using them. Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies will be soft and fudgy. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  • In the meantime, using a handheld or standing mixer, whip together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely combined and fluffy, about a minute.
  • When cookies have cooled, spread about two tablespoons of the peanut butter mixture onto the bottom of a cookie and press another cookie on top of the peanut butter. Set the cookie aside and continue working until all cookies are sandwiched.
Course: Dessert
Author: Chelsea Cole
Did you make this recipe?Mention @aducksoven on Instagram or tag #aducksoven.

Cookie recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction