I don’t know why I can’t bake like a normal person.

It’s like I just can’t do simple.

And, really, this goes for ALL food.

Salad? Load it up with some deep fried cheese, grilled meat, and every vegetable and fruit I can think of.  Oh, and add some nuts and seeds for some added crunch!

Ice cream? I want chocolate peanut butter pieces, chocolate fudge swirls, marshmallow swirls,  and white chocolate chunks, all swirled into a banana flavored base.

Cookies? Brown the butter. Throw in every single almost-used-up bag of chocolates, nuts, and candies, and call it “everything but the…”.  Oh, and don’t forget the oats.  Because there’s nothing I want more than a super chewy, fully-loaded cookie.  The size of my head.

So, when I see a recipe for some flourless peanut butter cookies, you better believe that I doctored it up a bit and also stuffed an Oreo cookie inside.  Because if my cookie is just a cookie, and not a size of my face, I probably don’t want it.

Bahah, who am I kidding?  Of course I’ll want it.

But, recently, I’ve been asked the question a lot about my inability to keep it simple.  It all started when I was introduced to the raspberry jam-filled donuts sold at the grocery store right next to where I work.  These donuts are amazing.  They are huge.  Glazed.  And filled to the BRIM with raspberry jam.  I’m in love.  It seriously takes so much willpower to not purchase these daily.  And when I have purchased one, you may see me walking down the sidewalk, unable to wait until I get to the breakroom, shoving the donut in my face.

My answer to this question, though?  I might as well go all out.  If I’m already committing myself to consume the calories that are in these donuts, cupcakes, cookies, etc., I might as well go all the way and trash it up with everything good, instead of just a little bit of good.

So, going all the way leads me to shoving cookies into cookies.  Which leads me to these.

Small-Batch Oreo Filled Peanut Butter Cookie

serves 6

• 1 c. peanut butter*
• 1/4 c. coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 Oreo cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cookie with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, coconut sugar, egg, baking soda, and vanilla.  Stir until combined.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces.  Rip one of the portions in half, and place each piece on one side of the Oreo cookie.  Using your hands, form the peanut butter cookie dough around the Oreos until they are sealed.  Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with remaining cookie dough and Oreos.

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and then remove to a cooling rack until cooled completely.

 

*I prefer peanut butter that has two ingredients – peanut and sea salt.  If your peanut butter just has peanuts, add about a 1/4 tsp. of salt to the recipe.