Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies/Whoopie Pies

 Made with honey, these are not your ordinary peanut butter cookies.  Soft and chewy, they are soooo good!   And you can really taste the honey! 

I used My Baking Addiction's recipe.  Then I turned them into whoopie pies!  Here is her recipe with my tips added.

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of sugar for rolling dough balls

 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat shortening, peanut butter and honey on medium speed until well combined and fluffy - about 3 minutes.  Don't beat too long or the batter separates.
3. Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined.

I used a cookie scoop to make uniform size balls

 Roll in sugar, and place on prepared baking sheets.

I flatten the balls with my hand, or the bottom of a glass.  They measured about 2 1/2 inches across.  Leave plenty of space cuz these babies really expand!

Flatten with a fork.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

They now are about 3 1/2 inches round.  Let set on cookie sheet about 5 minutes and then move to a rack.

I made up a batch of frosting and piped it onto half of the cookies.  Now place a cookie on top of each frosted cookie.  The frosting I made was delicious.  Take one egg white, 2 TBS milk and 2 tsp vanilla.  Beat well.  Add 1/4 cup of softened shortening, and 3 cups powdered sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  I used a few drops of white food coloring to brighten the frosting.  Then I added enough additional powdered sugar til the frosting held it shape.  I also added about 1/4 cup granulated sugar cuz I like that bit of texture.  I know some of you worry about raw eggs, so you might want to try meringue powder instead.  You will have to adjust it somehow to account for the missing moisture the egg white gives.  Call me crazy but I use raw eggs a lot and never have a problem. 

Diana