Chris came up this weekend to visit with Daniel before he heads off to boot camp tomorrow. Saturday night Jason cooked some beautiful rib eyes with mashed potatoes and asparagus and then creme brulee for dessert. Yesterday I made the banana bread (again) for breakfast and then these peanut butter cookies later in the day. I was curious to see if they would be as popular as the ones with the Hershey’s Kiss in the center. I think these compared quite favorably.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Volcanoes

The Lava
3 ounces (1/2 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

The Cookie
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (lightly packed) light brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the lava: Melt the chocolates together in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water. Alternatively, you may melt the chocolate in the microwave.

Using a whisk, stir the melted chocolate vigorously into the milk until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Whisk in vanilla; Set aside.

Make the cookie dough: Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.

Using en electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, peanut butter, both sugars, and the vanilla together in a medium-size mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Stop the mixer twice during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the egg and beat on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until blended, about 15 seconds. Scrape the bowl and mix several seconds more.

Measure out heaping tablespoons of the dough and roll them into balls with your hands, Place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Using your thumb, press a deep hole into the center of each ball, and plop a heaping teaspoon of the lava mixture into the hole. Pinch the opening together just a little bit so the lava will not overflow, but so that it is still visible.

Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets or eat them while they are still warm for an extra- special treat.

Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day. After that, store them in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Bring them to room temperature before eating.