Chocolate or Peanut Butter FILLED Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes it's just fun to have a little surprise in the middle of your cookies.  These Chocolate Chip Cookies are FILLED with Chocolate and/or Peanut Butter.  

It's my amazing chocolate chip cookie made even better.

Now, to be completely honest these cookies do take a little more time b/c you have to make a crater, fill it, and then seal it up.  However, every now and again these fancy filled cookies are worth the extra 15-20 minutes of work.     

I made some of these cookies for a charity bake sale last weekend.  I wanted something a little fancier and different to sell.  When I told a couple people what I made they all asked, "How do you FILL cookies?"

I started filling cookies years ago, and people always asked the same thing.  I guess it's about time I hook you up with a little tutorial picture to show you how it is done.  

How to fill cookies?   

First, make your cookie dough as normal and places balls of cookie dough on your cookie sheet. 

Second, using your index finger press down into the middle of the cookie dough ball and pinch around the edges to make a crater.  Make sure you don't push all the way through to the pan; otherwise, you'll have chocolate or peanut butter leaking out.  

Third, melt your chocolate or peanut butter aka your filling and spoon in about 1 teaspoon of filling. 

Fourth, pinch the top together until the crater is sealed, just like you see on the right side of the picture above.

  

Any questions?  Holler if you need, otherwise, happy cookie eating!  

Chocolate or Peanut Butter FILLED Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe: Alohamora 

Active Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 3 dozen with a large (3 Tbsp) scoop

Ingredients: 

For the Cookie: 
1 c. shortening, butter flavor

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

3 tsp vanilla

3 eggs, large

 4 1/2 c. flour, unbleached

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

For Filling (You can choose either chocolate or peanut butter, or do some of each)

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips or peanut butter, melted 

You need about 1/2 cup for each dozen cookies

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Cream the butter, shortening, and sugars together until they are light and creamy.  About 3 minutes in a stand mixer. If you would like to substitute coconut oil for the shortening you can.  The cookies still turn out great, but there is a slight coconut flavor to them. Also, make sure to use butter not margarine.  It tastes a million times better.     
3. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time mixing between each one.  If you have a stand mixer just leave it on while you add them.
4. Add the flour, soda, and salt to the bowl in that order and then mix until just combined.  If you are at a higher altitude or if your dough seems a bit too sticky you can add about 1/2 c. more flour.  The more flour you add the fluffier (and eventually) round the cookies will be, but the cookies will also harden a bit quicker as well. 
5. Finally, add the chocolate chips.  I have found the best rich flavor comes from milk chocolate chips, but I know people that are dark and bittersweet fanatics that can't be swayed.  You can do whatever chocolate chips you like, but milk is the way to go over here.  
6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.  I guess that is not absolutely necessary, but I really like the way the cookies turn out when I use my baking mat.  The bottoms seem not too over cooked but perfectly crispy.
7. Using a large cookie scoop, or spoons make 12 large cookie dough balls (about 3 Tbsp of dough) for a normal size cookie sheet. 
8. Using your index finger press down into the middle of the cookie dough ball and pinch around the edges to make a crater.  Make sure you don't push all the way through to the pan; otherwise, you'll have chocolate or peanut butter leaking out.   
9. Now in a small cup or ramekin melt your chocolate or peanut butter for your filling in the microwave.  You can put your creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and then stir it after.  If you have chocolate melt you chocolate in the microwave and stir it ever 20 seconds until it is smooth.  I would melt 1/2 cup of peanut butter or chocolate at a time.  Do just enough for each sheet of cookies.   
10. Spoon about 1- 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling into your cookie dough craters.   
11. With your filling in the cookie dough craters, pinch the top of the dough together until the crater is sealed.  You can use a little cookie dough from the bowl to patch it if you need. 
12. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.
13. Cool your cookies, and then store them in an air tight container.   

Enjoy!  Happy filled cookie eating!