Peanut Butter 'n' Candy cookies

Or, How Prepping Ahead Makes Cooking With Kids Fun Instead of Stressful!

My older son's favorite phrase right now is "Mama, I haf an IDEA!"  Today's IDEA was to make cookies.  We picked out a peanut butter and chocolate kiss cookie recipe, but we didn't have any chocolate kisses.  We did have caramels and bags of Halloween candy (yeah, yeah, I cracked the H-ween candy already, but only for this recipe!) so I give you peanut butter and assorted-candy cookies LOL  This is a great thing to do with any leftover candy bars after Halloween.

It took about 15 minutes to prep while the boys watched a little Sesame Street.  Then Boy #1 helped me combine ingredients and shape cookies while Boy #2 got to play with all the toys that Boy #1 usually snatches away from him...good times all round!  I found the toddler help most useful in rolling formed cookie dough balls in sugar and putting them on a baking tray (I needed to rearrange them for baking ofc).  The finished product is not going to win any pretty food awards, but somehow the cookies are tastier when they're ugly b/c your kids helped you make them.


Peanut Butter and Candy Cookies
Makes 3-4 dozen

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup brown or white sugar for rolling
Assorted candy bars or caramels

Put the butter and peanut butter in a mixing bowl to soften.  Combine sugars, vanilla and salt in a bowl.  Combine egg and milk in a bowl.  Combine flours and baking soda in a bowl.  Put 1/4 cup sugar in a large shallow bowl for rolling cookie dough balls in.  Cut candies into slices (caramels in half, fun-size candy bars in thirds or quarters) and put in a bowl.

When ready to assemble, cream butters until smooth.  Add sugar mixture and cream until light and fluffy.  Add egg-milk combo and stir to combine.  Add flour mixture in small amounts until thoroughly incorporated.  Dough will be a little crumbly.

Shape into balls about 1 1/4" in diameter.  Roll each ball in sugar and place 3" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes.  Press a candy piece into each cookie immediately after removing from the oven. Pin It