"I Nutella Resse's" or "A Little Sweat Ain't Never Hurt Nobody"

One summer when I was 18 I got into this phase where all I would do was listen to Beyoncé's B'day Album and bake peanut butter cookies. I must have baked at least 8 different batches, tweaking the recipe over and over until I got what I thought was the perfect taste. As deliciously toe curling as I can remember that very last batch to be, I must have lost interest, or found a new boy or something because once I finished with my magnum opus I never bothered to write down the recipe. * face palm* This week I had a surplus of Reese's lying around (what?! how does that happen?!) from a recipe that never came into being, and so I got to thinking that maybe maybe the peanut butter gods had a message for me...

My first batch (yes the one before this) was tooth achingly sweet, so much so that I had to take a nap after eating just two which in my opinion is a giant cookie fail.  Perfect cookies I think are the kind that you have to make a conscious effort to stop eating. The kind that call you to the kitchen when you were in another room, the kind that sneak into your dreams and beg to be eaten with breakfast. Those are good cookies.

So I changed a few things, reduced the sugar, and tried again.

And in the end I turned up these tasty cuties that are nice and peanutty, aren't too sweet, but not quite the incubuses I remember. With a little love and maybe some Beyoncé  we might just get there one round three...

Stay tuned.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup Nutella
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup all purpose flour

8 Reese's peanut butter cups cubed

In a large bowl cream together the first six ingredients until just smooth. Then add the baking soda and flour, stirring until just combined. Gently fold in the cubed peanut butter cups. Using a spoon gently scoop into little  2 inch heaps on a parchment lined baking sheet (the batter will be a little more gloopy than regular pb cookies). Bake at 350 degrees, for 12 minutes. Let them cool for at least 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack (or they'll crumble and you'll cry) and letting them cool completely.