Soft & Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. To a medium bowl (that's heat safe), set over a pan of simmering water, add the chocolate, butter, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Make sure the water doesn’t boil or touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and then remove from the heat.
3. Mix in the vanilla, sugar, and brown sugar until well combined and the mixture has a thick consistency.
4. Add one egg, baking powder, and salt, stirring until well blended. Then add in the remaining two eggs, one at a time, making sure the first is well blended before adding in the second. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is completely combined.
5. Mix in the flour until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed.
6. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and drop the dough on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between cookie dough balls. This dough is sticky. If you don't have a cookie scoop, use two spoons. If it's too sticky to handle, you can let it sit for 10 minutes or set it in the fridge to expedite this.
7. Just before baking, place a mini peanut butter cup on top of each cookie dough ball. Try to place it in the center of each dough ball.
8. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12 minutes. The cookies will be puffed and then collapse and crack as they cool. As soon as they're out of the oven, tap the baking sheet on the counter several times to disperse the melted peanut butter cup over the tops of the cookies (see Notes below recipe for more detail). Use the edge of a spatula to nudge any misshapen cookies back into the shape of a circle.
9. Let the peanut butter cup cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, if using.