Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Brownie Bites

(Lauren Lilling)

Chocolate and peanut butter is such a fantastic combination and always a hit when entertaining.  What better way to celebrate the two flavors than with these delicious brownies stuffed with a peanut butter cup cookie dough filling?  They will be a hit for children and adults alike.

Cook Time:15 min

Prep Time:30 min

Total Time:45 min

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

1 Box brownie mix of choice plus ingredients called for on box

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1/4 cup salted creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup lightly chopped peanut butter cups (~7 peanut butter cups)

Preparation:

Prepare brownies. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with butter or spray well with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare brownie mix as directed and fill cups with brownie batter (about 2 tablespoons each). Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a knife comes out clean; do not over bake. Set brownies aside to cool and prepare cookie dough.

Prepare cookie dough. Whisk flour and salt in a small bowl; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in milk and vanilla on low speed. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Stir in chopped peanut butter cups.

Put together brownie bites. Once cookie dough is ready, take your brownies and slice each in half horizontally so that there is a top and a bottom. Place a rounded disk of cookie dough on each bottom half (about one tablespoon of cookie dough each). Press tops of brownies lightly onto cookie dough layer so that you can still see the cookie dough from the sides. Serve immediately or freeze in an airtight container up to one month.