One day, while exploring the Happiest Place on Earth, I was abiding by my motto and found this adorable bakery in California Adventure. It looked nothing like a bakery, for it was camouflaged next to the Mexican restaurant, but oh boy, did it have some phenomenal cookies and hot chocolate. I mean, these cookies were life changing. Chocolate chip with big peanut butter pieces. Huge, shaped like a dome, and seemingly too crunchy on the outside, once broken open, these cookies were a gift from Heaven.
They were amazing. And I told everyone about these amazing cookies. I mean, everyone.
And then Disney failed me.
It was a dark day when I ventured back into California Adventure and discovered they had shut down the bakery. I searched high and low for these cookies. I checked every bakery and dessert place. I asked Disney employees. And no one had a clue as to what I was talking about. Apparently, I was the only person who had a thing for these legendary cookies.
Since then, I’ve been on a mission to recreate them. I’ve come fairly close. They aren’t dome shaped, but these cookies are big, thick, and full of peanut butter fudge.
Since I don’t know Disney’s exact recipe, I had to rely on my last memory of these beauties, and I think I did it justice. I’m pleased, so really, that’s all that matters. And, there’s my hand, chipped nail polish and all. Eh, what are you gonna do?
Anyway, what sets these cookies apart from traditional peanut butter chocolate chip cookies is that there is no peanut butter in the batter base. The peanut butter comes in the form of fudge dispersed throughout the cookie.
I know.
I ate two already and I’m still drooling.
You can see the peanut butter fudge sticking out from the cookie dough. And let me be the first to tell you, these are hands down more delicious than any other peanut butter cookie.
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp peanut butter chips
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
- For the fudge, mix all ingredients except powdered sugar into a microwave safe bowl, and melt in thirty second increments. Stir after each hit in the microwave. Once smooth, stir in powdered sugar and whisk until combined. Pour mixture into a small, flat container, and allow it to set up like fudge. It should firm up within a half hour. Once set, cut into chunks, and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter until it's light and fluffy. Add in both sugars and mix until combined. Next, add in egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Then, slowly add it into the wet mixture. Once combined, add in the chips.
- Roll the dough into 2 inch balls (a rough roll--who has time for a full one?) and place onto a cookie sheet. Then add the peanut butter fudge by placing it around the cookie dough. While you can mix the fudge in before rolling the dough out, the fudge doesn't stay together in nice squares like I like it.
- Bake about 14-15 minutes, or until golden brown and perfect.
L. Williams says
These taste just like the California Adventure cookies that my family fell in love with on our trip last year! Fantastic recipe!
Emily says
Sounds AWESOME