It’s that time of year again – Girl Scout Cookie season! I always end up not buying enough boxes and stashing the few I have away in the freezer to make them last. But when I finally open one they don’t last long at all, especially when it’s the Tagalongs. So when I found a recipe to make them myself I bookmarked it and immediately put at the top of my baking to-do list. They were a rousing success! It’ll be hard keep some saved for Brent with 6 days between then and now…

These are a bit bigger than the original (back right of photo), but who would ever say that’s a bad thing? Is it blasphemy to say I like them better than the real thing, being a former Girl Scout?

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract, divided

2 Tbsp heavy cream

1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

24-oz milk or semisweet chocolate, morsels or coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare the cookie base. Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and salt. In 2-3 increments, stir into the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
3. Add the cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla; stir only until incorporated.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Pinch off pieces of dough, and roll into approximately 1-inch circles. Lightly flatten each ball with your hand, trying to ensure that the edges don’t crack too much.
6. Place the rounds of dough on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about an inch between (they will spread a little, but not too much).
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they have a dull finish on top and are just golden on the edges.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet. As soon as they are not too hot, using the back of a Tablespoon, make an indent in each cookie (they should still be fairly soft, so it should be easy to indent them without breaking them). Leave them right where they are for the moment.
9. In a medium saucepan, melt the peanut butter on low heat until it is a thick, easily stirred liquid. Add the confectioners’ sugar and stir until incorporated. Add the 1/2 tsp vanilla last, stirring in until incorporated. Remove from heat. Let it sit for about 10 minutes; the mixture will start to thicken a bit.
10. Place a teaspoon (a little more or less, upon your taste) of the peanut butter mixture in the indent on each cookie. Spread out to just within the edges of the cookie. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
11. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. To coat the cookies, first place the cookie bottom-side-down in the chocolate. Flip over to coat, and then flip back over with a spoon in one hand on to a fork in your other hand. Let the chocolate drip off and use your spoon to gently scrape the drippings from the bottom, and then place the chocolate coated cookies on a sheet of waxed paper and let set for 2-3 hours before enjoying. Speed up the process by placing in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Source: Cakespy on Serious Eats with slight changes