Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Creme Filling

If you’re looking for a cookie that’s sure to impress, look no further than these crispy peanut butter sandwich cookies! With the addition of rich chocolate creme packed between them, they’re a peanut butter lover’s dream!

If you’re looking for more easy cookie recipes, be sure to check out these 3-ingredient shortbread cookies, pie crust cookies, 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies, and this chocolate shortbread as well!

I first discovered this recipe for peanut butter sandwich cookies from The Baking Sheet, the newsletter from the good folks at King Arthur Flour. While there’s an alternate vanilla creme filling in the original, we all know that chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination, so I thought we’d try that today instead!

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These peanut butter sandwich cookies are quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes! Here’s why:

• A classic combination. Sweet, crumbly peanut butter cookies and luxurious, velvety chocolate creme are a perfect pairing!
• Great for any occasion. These cookies will be welcomed any time of year for most any occasion or no occasion at all. While there’s nothing inherently Christmas-y about these cookies—no peppermint or festive sprinkles!—they’re definitely an excellent addition to a holiday cookie platter because they’re rich, decadent, and they even look impressive.
• Adaptable. You can use a holiday-themed cookie cutter (or another cookie cutter of your choosing) if you like, but don’t use anything too fussy—lots of details can make it hard to add the chocolate creme without making a mess!

What You’ll Need

If you don’t want to make these into sandwiches, you can skip the filling ingredients. Dipping the finished cookies in melted chocolate works too, or just enjoy them as-is! (Also, for exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card below!)

For the Cookies

• Unsalted butter – Take the butter out of the fridge about half an hour before baking to allow it to soften properly.
• Creamy peanut butter – I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter for recipes like this.
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is all you need for these cookies.
• Salt – You can make this recipe with kosher salt, sea salt, or table salt – whatever you like!
• Baking soda – This helps the cookies rise a little bit.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract offers the richest flavor.
• Egg – The egg should also be room temperature.
• Heavy cream – Sour cream will also work here.
• Cornstarch – Ensures that the cookies come out tender.
• All-purpose flour – Make sure to weigh your flour, or to use the spoon and sweep method when measuring.

For the Filling

• Unflavored gelatin – This helps solidify the filling.
• Water – Cold water is required for this part of the recipe.
• Vegetable shortening – Butter can be substituted if you don’t have vegetable shortening.
• Vanilla extract – Again, pure extract works best.
• Dutch-process cocoa powder – This type of cocoa powder is darker in color and less acidic than natural cocoa powder.
• Confectioners’ sugar – I recommend sifting out any lumps before you begin so that the sugar incorporates smoothly.

How to Make Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies With Chocolate Creme Filling

If you want to break things up a bit, you can make the cookies a day or two in advance, then make the filling and assemble.

To Make the Cookies

• Make the cookie dough. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Once these ingredients are well-mixed, beat in the egg, followed by 1/8 cup of cream, the cornstarch, and 1 1/2 cups of flour. When these ingredients are incorporated, beat in the remaining cream and flour.
• Chill the dough. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half slightly. Wrap the halves in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour.
• Prepare the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. 

• Cut out the cookies. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, then roll each half of dough into a 1/8- to 1/4-inch circle. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut the dough, and place the cut dough on the prepared baking sheets. You can gather up the scraps, roll them out again, and continue to cut cookies until you can’t make any more.
• Bake the cookies. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set, but not browned. 

• Let them cool. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling. (Learn more by reading up on why every baker needs wire cooling racks.)

To Make the Filling

• Dissolve the gelatin. Combine the gelatin and water in a small heat-proof cup or bowl, then place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water to gently warm the gelatin and water mixture until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture is clear. Remove the bowl or cup from the hot water and let it come to room temperature until cooled, but not set.

• Combine the remaining filling ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening (or butter) with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, then slowly beat in the vanilla, cocoa, and confectioners’ sugar. Add the gelatin and mix well.

• Assemble the sandwich cookies. Spread the filling on the bottom of a cookie, then press another cookie onto it, sandwiching the filling between them. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.

Tips for Success

Here are some hints and tips I’ve discovered that will help you out while making these peanut butter sandwich cookies.

• Use regular peanut butter. Not the fancy natural stuff! The problem with natural peanut butter is that its consistency can vary wildly, but your standard jar of peanut butter is pretty consistent from one brand to the next, which is important for baking.
• Keep the cookies from spreading. Chilling the dough makes it easy to work with and prevents the cookies from spreading when you bake them. If it takes you a while to cut the cookies out, you might want to pop the baking sheets in the fridge for a little bit to re-chill the dough before baking.
• Mess-free assembly. Make sure you leave a bit of a margin and don’t frost all the way to the edges when you’re adding the filling. This way, once you press the cookies together, the filling will reach the edges without spilling over.

How to Store

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough for this recipe and get a head start on holiday baking, or you can freeze the cookies once they’ve been baked or assembled. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Sandwich Cookies

There are so many sandwich cookie recipes out there to try! Here are a few more of my favorites:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches
• Homemade Oreos
• Red Velvet Cookies
• Double Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• Brownie Cookie Sandwiches

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