Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Recently, I learned one very important thing about siblings: you never outgrow sibiling rivialry. No matter if they are 4 or 40, if one sibling receives something the other does not, tantrums will be thrown. Case and point? My uncle and my mother. The battle? Peanut butter sandwich cookies.

When I was visiting my parents in Virginia, my mother admitted that Nutter Butters are her ultimate comfort food. I, stupidly, made the mistake of saying I made a homemade version of these cookies for my uncle's birthday. Apparently, my mother, a devout reader of my blog, missed this post. The scrunched up nose preceded the huffing and puffing. She read my post out loud, in a whiny, bratty voice that would have landed my sister or me in timeout a few years ago. Lordy. Seeing my intelligent, caring, giving, sweet mother reduced to the equivalent of a child throwing a tantrum in a crowded department store was just too much for me. So I whipped up a batch as a thank you for my Mum and Dad. Although, if my Dad was able to sample one of these, I would be highly impressed. To avoid any future outbursts, I decided to include the steps and recipe this time around. Just to be safe.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart
makes12 cookies

This is a wonderful, homemade version of Nutter Butters. The silky filling is surrounded by a soft, crunchy cookie. Grab a big, cold glass of milk to make a perfect snack.

Ingredients
Cookies
1 stick (4 ounces) + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Peanut Butter Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation Instructions
For the Cookies
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add oats and cook, stiring continually, until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. Transfer oats to bowl to cool.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Place 1 cup butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar in mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment. Paddle on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, paddle until well combined. Add cooled oats to flour mixture. Whisk to combine. Add oat-flour mixture to peanut butter mixture. Paddle on low speed until just combined. Turn out dough onto sheet of parchment. Place second sheet of parchment on top of dough. Roll to 1/4" thickness. Chill dough at least 20 minutes.

When dough is properly chilled, use a round cookie cutter to create cookies. Place, about 1" apart, on a sheet tray lined with parchment or a SilPat. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake until sides are just golden, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheet tray.

For the Filling
Combine butter, peanut butter, confectioner's sugar and salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Paddle until smooth. Place desired amount of filling on flat side of cooled cookie. Sandwich with a second cookie.