Peanut Butter Turtle Cookie Cups

The classic turtle made with caramel, chocolate and pecans invites another member to the party in the form of a peanut butter cookie cup. Because everything is better with peanut butter.

Le sigh. Can we just have one college football season without drama? Last year we lost our star quarterback (Braxton) before the season even started, then lost to Virginia Tech, discovered that our 2nd string QB (JT) was actually quite good, worst of all a defensive lineman tragically took his life, then JT got injured during the last game before the playoffs, somehow managed to get voted into the playoffs anyway, and found out not only is our 3rd string QB (Cardale) also a ringer but won the first ever College Football Playoffs! Fast forward to this year and our QB situation has been discussed more times than I care to listen, then Urban Meyer finally went with JT only for him to get a DUI a week later and now we’re back to Cardale. Heck they might even throw Braxton in there if we get desperate. All the while the team had not played to their full potential, at least not in my mind.

Tonight we face Minnesota. I had to sell my tickets for this game because I am in Rochester, NY for the weekend for one of my best friends’ weddings and originally I felt no despair over the matter. But now that we are all tumultuous again I am a bit more wary of the game tonight. And the following weeks are not any better with Michigan State and Michigan on the horizon. Obviously I would not miss my friends wedding for a football game but I’m still gonna be nervously checking my phone for gamecast updates. Ugh, this calls for some serious peanut butter and chocolate therapy.

Thankfully my friend Jennifer was there for me with plenty of peanut butter and chocolate recipes to chose from in her beautiful new cookbook, Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Baking. The concept behind the book is that in addition to pantry staples, these recipe only require at most 5 additional ingredients. Take these turtle cookie cups for example: I only had to buy the caramels and heavy cream to make these little dream boats (dream cups?) a reality. Ah oh man were they ever exactly what I needed today. This is only one of many recipes that I bookmarked from her cookbook, just like the long list of bookmarked recipes from her blog, Bake or Break. Next, I think I need to try her peanut butter shortcakes!

One year ago: Breakfast Nachos with Greek Yogurt Hollandaise Sauce

Two years ago: Pumpkin Baklava Bars

Three years ago: Baked Purple Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Marshmallow Glaze

Four years ago: Gluten-Free Cake Batter Pancakes

PEANUT BUTTER TURTLE COOKIE CUPS

Makes 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 oz. soft caramels (about 15 pieces)

3 Tbsp heavy cream

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

12 pecan halves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.
2. Place the butter and brown sugar into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well. Mix in the peanut butter. Add the flour and salt, and mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Evenly divide the dough among the prepared muffin cups. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of each cup.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly brown. Remove from oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to reshape the hole in the middle of the cups. Set on a wire rack to cool slightly.
5. Place the caramels and heavy cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at full power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the caramels are melted and smooth. Evenly divide the caramel into the cookie cups. Place in the refrigerator to cool slightly.
6. Place the chocolate in another medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Evenly divide the chocolate on top of each cookie cups and place a pecan half on top of each cookie cup. Allow to set before removing from the pan and serving (can be refrigerated to speed up the process).

Source: Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Baking by Jennifer McHenry.

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Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this cookbook from YC MEDIA but was not otherwise compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.