By Gabrielle.
I’ve been toying with the idea of a new food series. But instead of something kid or family based, I was thinking it might be fun to do a Dessert For Two series. I’m picturing a late night treat just for you and someone you love — your spouse, your best friend, your teenager who is up late hitting the books.
Maybe eaten in celebration or sympathy after a particularly challenging day. (We survived!)
So I asked Liz Berget to come up with a yummy recipe that only has two servings, and no surprise, it looks super yummy.
Before we jump into the recipe, I’d love your thoughts. Does a Dessert for Two series interest you? Should I make this a regular thing? Let me know!
Here’s what Liz says:
If I’m being honest, I pretty much want a little something sweet after dinner almost every night. As I sit down on the couch after the sprinted final lap of dinner, dishes, baths, and bedtime, I often find myself craving a victory lap of chocolate. I don’t always indulge — sometimes out of self-control, sometimes because we have nothing in the house (a strategic move put in play by my more disciplined 10 a.m.-grocery-shopping self).
In weaker moments, I’ve been known to go to town with a spoon and some peanut butter and chocolate chips. Or to whip up a quick batch of cookies. But that batch of cookies is more than “a little something sweet.” Because inevitably it turns into oh, wouldn’t this be great with my morning cup of coffee? And I find myself sneaking into the kitchen for more after moments like finding that my three-year-old has dumped out every single toy bin in his room because “he was making an earthquake.”
That’s why I love recipes for two. I can get my after-dinner fix and start the next day without having to combat the urge to eat fifteen more cookies. This is one of my favorite mini cookie recipes, but it converts perfectly into deep dish cookies for two. It is made from a simple peanut butter cookie dough, jazzed up with milk chocolate chips, and baked until barely browned on the edges — If I’m going to eat a deep-dish cookie, I want it to be soft and a little on the gooey side. Then, once it’s removed from the oven and still hot, a Reese’s peanut butter cup is pushed into the center to get melty as the cookie cools slightly.
Once the ramekin is cool enough to handle, you and the person next to you on the couch are running the victory lap of the day, spoons in hand. Let’s get to making!
Peanut Butter Cup Deep Dish Cookies
Serves 2
Ingredients:
¾ cup + ⅛ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup peanut butter*
½ egg, beaten**
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
scant ½ cup milk chocolate chips
2 regular sized Reese’s peanut butter cups (from a 2 count in a 1.5-ounce package)
cooking spray
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare ramekins by spraying them with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, stir the flour, salt and baking soda together. Set aside.
3. Cream together the white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the half egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Spoon the dough into the ramekins and fill to a generous halfway. Smooth the top with your fingers.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Mine took 12 minutes, but will depend on the size and shape of your ramekin. You want to remove them when the edges are just starting to turn slightly golden brown – the center will look really doughy. Remove from oven and immediately press a peanut butter cup into the center of each ramekin.
7. Allow to cool slightly, and dig in!
Notes:
– Ramekin Size: I used one with a 4.5” diameter, about an inch deep that holds 1 cup of water. Anything similar sized will be fine.
– *You don’t want to use a natural peanut butter with this recipe. Use something like Skippy or Jif.
– **Don’t stress about getting exactly half an egg. I recommend beating 1 egg first and then spooning approximately half into the mixing bowl.
– Once again, you want to bake these until slightly underdone, until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
– You’ll have about a ½ cup of dough remaining. I like to freeze this and pull it out for another night when I just want a little something. You can spoon 1-tablespoon dough balls onto parchment paper and bake at 375° for about 8 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
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Thank you, Liz! This looks so delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
Credits: Images, styling & recipe by Liz Berget. Assistance by Amy Christie.
I cannot believe I thought I could start a pre-holiday diet this weekend. I may pull an all-nighter with these babies ♡
I love the idea! I would probably still split it four ways and make it a family thing but that’s because I don’t have a big enough sweet tooth but I’m really interested in a series of recipes that don’t make HUGE quantities of something!
YES PLEASE for the dessert for two idea!!!!
Yes, please please please do Dessert for Two. If my husband doesn’t want any, I’ll be able to save one for later! And it also works perfectly for my family of four! I love this idea!
Sounds fun (and delicious!). I’m in.
These peanut butter cup cookie pies look incredible! I think my husband and I are going to have to try making these during our next at home date night.
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Love this idea, and particularly how you describe it: spouse, friend, or up-late teen. Perfect.
YEEEEEEEEEEEES to dessert for two
This is THE BEST idea!! Love it!
Yes, dessert for two! Could the recipe just make 4 servings –no half an egg!! or small left over – and then the other two be frozen? I realize that is making dessert for 4 – lol but having odd amounts left over seems wasteful and then you still don’t have enough for another 2! Think I will just double this recipe for now!
Nancy, I think you could definitely double this and freeze before baking. I’ve frozen the mini versions of these cookies before, and the Resee’s gets a little wonky in the freezer. But if you either froze the dough, or even froze it mostly assembled in the ramekin, I think these would bake up find after thawing!
The photos look like the wax wrapper around the peanut butter cups was left on when pressed into the cookies. It makes more sense to me to take the wax wrapper off before pressing it in there, but maybe you tried that and the peanut butter cup didn’t keep its shape. Could you please satisfy curious minds?
Yes! I definitely took the paper off before placing in the cookie. The pb cub holds it shape just fine without the paper.
Hooray! I was nervous for awhile. Thank you for clarifying.
OMG. I pinned this and will absolutely make it. I’d love to see more dessert for two posts!
Oh dear, they look delicious! Pity I am on the I quit sugar plan.
Yes, please!
These look amazing! Can’t wait to get stuck in!!
Corinne // http://www.breathedreamlove.com
What a great idea! My daughter is up late sometimes studying and I would love to make her the occasional surprise treat. X
I made these and they were delicious.
I love the idea of featuring desserts for two, it satisfies my sweet tooth without having too much as a temptation.
My mouth is watering! I love the idea of dessert for two… but how can I keep Reese’s peanut butter cups around long enough to bake with them? I really need recipes where the ingredients are not so tempting.
what if you ONLY have natural PB? maybe cut back on the butter? I’m assuming it’s because it has a higher oil content?
This came through on my bloglovin feed even though I’m not a subscriber. Yeah, well, now I am. These cookies look fantastic and I’m looking forward to checking out some more of your posts. Pinning these! The dessert for two series is a great idea.
dessert for six ? we usually need just a bite when we’re out and share with 4 or 6 when we’re home if we want a little sweet it’s fruit and almonds I like the idea of mini bites
LOVE the series idea of dessert for 2!
(And while I understand baking for many is almost the same work as 2 — mentally I feel like I can attempt for 2 with less intimidation. And look forward to the intimate enjoyment of it.)
Used this as my son’s birthday cake tonight — simply wonderful!