Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decoration:
- Orange and green icing or edible markers
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until a dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Make the Peanut Butter Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
- Shape the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles. Half of these circles will be the bottom half of the cookies, while the other half will be the tops with jack-o’-lantern faces.
- Assemble the Cookies: Place a spoonful of peanut butter filling on the center of each bottom cookie. Top with a cookie cut-out and press down gently to seal.
- Bake: Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Decorate: Once cooled, decorate the tops with orange and green icing to create jack-o’-lantern faces.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, substitute the peanut butter with sunbutter or any other nut-free alternative.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for longer storage.
- Feel free to get creative with decorations to make your jack-o’-lanterns unique!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes