Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I've been in baking mood recently where I like to make a dessert on Saturday afternoon so I have a sweet treat to eat during the week. Over the weekend, I came across a recipe in the December/January issue of Taste of Home for Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, which are essentially whoopie pies. I've never made whoopie pies before and was excited to see that this recipe included Reese's peanut butter cups because let's be honest, those make everything just a little bit better.

These ended up being a lot easier to make than I anticipated & were really good (although I don't think I could eat more than one in a sitting because they were pretty rich and filling). I'm thinking I'm going to attempt pumpkin whoopie pies when fall rolls around this year.

Ingredients

The cookies

The filling

Chopped up Reese's cups (this was Todd's job because he doesn't exactly trust me with knives)

Filling & Reese's cups spread out on cookies

The finished product

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 package (18 1/4 ounce) Chocolate Cake Mix
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
3/4 cup creamy Peanut Butter
4 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
2 1/2 cups Confectioners Sugar
3 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
12 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add cake mix and flour to creamed
mixture and mix well.
2. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets;
flatten slightly. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes until set. Cool
for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
3. For filling, beat peanut butter and cream cheese in a small bowl until
fluffy. Add the confectioners. sugar, milk and vanilla; beat until
smooth. Spread on the bottom half of the cookies; sprinkle on chopped
peanut butter cups. Top with remaining cookies. Store in airtight
container in the refrigerator.

from Taste of Home (Dec 2011/Jan 2012 Issue)