PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup quick oats
Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and peanut butter together in large mixer bowl on high. Add sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; continue to beat until mixture is fluffy.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and oats together in separate bowl; add to butter mixture. Mix until well combined.

Place batter onto sheet pan by tablespoonful, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.

Place pan in top half of oven until cookies are golden (about 10 minutes). Remove and let cool.

When cookies are completely cooled, make buttercream (below).

PEANUT BUTTER MOLASSES BUTTERCREAM

1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Pinch salt

Cream butter and peanut butter together using electric mixer.

Add sugar and molasses; beat until thick and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add heavy cream and salt; beat 1 additional minute.

Spread immediately on completely cooled cookies. Put a teaspoonful of the butter cream into center of half the cookies.

Top with remaining cookies, pressing down until buttercream squeezes out a bit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 20 sandwich cookies
Source: Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, The Hearty Boys, Chicago Sun-Times, February 14, 2007