Donna Marie Golden adapted this recipe from one in Country Magazine in the mid-1990s — and it packs a lot of peanut punch. “That’s why they’re bite-size, because they’re so sweet and intense,” says Golden. “And they’re unusual, as far as the vanilla in the actual filling. It just adds that other dimension to the peanut butter filling.”

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies | Makes 50 sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Donna's Premier Lodging

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 to 6 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and add to mixture in mixing bowl. Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with tines of a fork. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the cookies to continue absorbing the heat from the cookie sheet. They should be slightly brown on the bottom. Cool cookies on wire racks. In a mixing bowl, combine and mix the filling ingredients until smooth. Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.