HappyCook80's Recipe

Party Time Volcanoes

Category: Recipes

Party Time Volcanoes

Lava:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sweetened evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsps. pure vanilla extract

Cookie:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick plus 3 tbsps. unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. lightly packed brown sugar
6 tbsps. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with
parchment paper or lightly grease them with vegetable oil.

To make the lava: Melt the chocolates together in the top of a double
broiler placed over simmering water. Combine evaporated milk and the vanilla in a medium sized bowl. Using a whisk, stir the melted
chocolate vigorously into the milk until the mixture is smooth and
well blended. Set aside.

To make the cookie dough: Sift the flour, baking soda and salt
together into a small bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer on
medium speed, cream the butter, peanut butter, both sugars and the
vanilla together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until light and
fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the mixer twice during the process
to scape the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the egg and beat on medium speed until blended, about one minute. 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're still warm for an extra-special treat. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one day. After that, store them in the freezer
for up to two weeks. Bring them to room temperature before eating.
Yields 30 cookies.