Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies #Choctoberfest

#Choctoberfest continues today with some more cookies!  All of my favorite flavor combinations involve chocolate (or so it would seem).

So, today I decided to follow up the chocolate & coffee combo with chocolate and peanut butter! 

Funny story, I decided to go on a peanut butter & chocolate binge while my mother in law was visiting.  We were talking as I was mixing, and she watched me add all of the candies at the end.  As I poured in candy after candy, her eyes got wide with disbelief!  She didn’t say anything, but I knew she was pretty skeptical about the cookies’ ability to hold all that chocolate.

Luckily, I know my cookies and these ones packed a delicious punch of chocolate and peanut butter!  And even though these are full sized cookies, one just isn’t enough!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 (3.4 oz) package chocolate instant pudding

2 eggs

2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp special dark cocoa powder

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

2/3 cup Mini Reese’s Cups

2/3 cup Peanut Butter M&Ms

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment.

Place the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and creamy.  Add the pudding mix and mix until combined.

Add the peanut butter and eggs and mix thoroughly; stir in the vanilla.

Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. 

Use a large spoon to stir in the M&Ms, mini chocolate chips, and peanut butter cups.

Use a 2 tablespoon scoop to drop the cookies onto the prepared sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set.  Cool on wire racks and store in a tightly sealed container.

Makes about 36 cookies

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