Double Chocolate-Espresso Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling

so now i'm way into this sandwich cookie thing.  maybe i'm a little late, but it seems i've rediscovered a gold mine.  how to make someone happy?...how to turn a frown upside down?...how to win friends and influence people ???...

just give them a delicious perfectly moist, yet crunchy cookie with a soft butter cream filling and you'll see the change happen before your eyes.  all the sudden no worries, the world stops, everything is beautiful, care-free thoughts, you have done no wrong...EVER !...

why, how could you if you, yourself,  have created heaven in one delectable bite...?

this one is a crowd favorite...well ALL of them are crowd favorites, but these flavors are familiar to most...CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER.  you really can't go wrong.....you do, however, have the opportunity to make a good thing BETTER. 

Double Chocolate Cookie by Sweet Melissa Patisserie...i think these are the best i've ever had so i started there with her base recipe. i adapted the recipe a little using white wheat flour, milk choc. chips instead of semi sweet and added some instant espresso for a little kick.  i have also, in the past, made these with a little cayenne pepper...yum !  the filling started with a Martha Stewart recipe, but...can you believe Martha's didn't work so well as written????!!!!...so i had to add a little milk.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES W/PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

original recipe from Sweet Melissa's Patisserie and slightly adapted

1 cup flour (i used white whole wheat flour)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup MILK CHOCOLATE LARGE SIZE chips
1 tsp instant espresso powder

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, mixing well. Stir in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in three batches, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and cherries. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Refrigerate the dough for a few hours until firm. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Roll out into 2 uniform logs about 12 inches long. Refrigerate it until firm enough to slice, about 1 hour.  my logs were NOT 12 inches, make them however short and stubby you want...i think these cookies are best LARGE

Position a rack in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Cut the logs into 1 inch slices and place 1 ½ inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the dough looks just baked. The cookies should be tender, so do not over bake.  i suggest doing a tester.

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

2 cups powdered sugar

6 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

might need...2 Tbsp milk or cream

mine didn't come together and become spreadable until i added the milk

blend in mixer until it comes together and looks creamy

use right away or cover with plastic wrap.  can be refrigerated and brought back to room temp to use later.