Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

These cookies were soft, chewy, and the perfect combo of chocolate and peanut butter flavors.  We really enjoyed these here.  They're supposed to be flattened before baking, but I forgot to, so I used the bottom of a juice glass to flatten them as soon as they came out of the oven, and it was perfect that way; the cookies didn't stick like raw dough would have. 

Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting
adapted from Cooking Classy
makes about 2 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

9 Tbsp butter, softened (1 stick + 1 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 Recipe Peanut Butter Frosting, recipe follows

Chocolate Nonpareils (optional)

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 - 4 Tbsp milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter and sour cream until light and fluffy; about 3-4 minutes. Stir in egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until incorporated (dough will be thick).

2.  Scoop dough out 2 tablespoons at a time (using cookie scoop).  Place balls onto greased cookie sheets and evenly flatten to about 1/2 inch thick using your hands (OR you can flatten lightly after baking, which is what I did). Bake in preheated oven 8 - 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting and top with Chocolate Nonpareil Sprinkles if desired.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1.  In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, whip together peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and milk (begin with 3 Tbsp then add 1 additional Tbsp milk later if desired), and blend until smooth and fluffy.  If frosting is crumbling or not coming together, add more milk and mix until it does.  (Some reviewers on the original recipe said the frosting was too thick, like cookie dough, but that problem is easily remedied by adding more liquid (milk) and mixing more.  I had no problems, BTW.)

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