Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Do not overbake.  Do not overbake.  Repeat these words over and over again.  If you remember this, your cookies will be amazing.  It makes such a huge difference.  You should let these stay on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes to firm up, but otherwise, they will be fantastic and everyone will be thoroughly impressed.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
adapted from Annie's Eats and King Arthur Flour


1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (6 1/4 oz)  all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. (1 5/8 oz) special dark cocoa
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coarse salt
¾ stick (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar (99 gm)
½ cup brown sugar (106 gm)
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. water
2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups, (cooled or frozen)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and water.  Blend until smooth.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add in 2 cups of the chopped peanut butter cups and fold in with a spatula.

Use a large dough scoop to drop rounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing 2-3 inches apart.  Gently press a few pieces of the reserved peanut butter cups into the top of each of the dough balls.  Bake 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let cool on the baking sheets about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.