By The kitchen is in full winter mode. The oven at 375 (always 375), the crockpot on the counter, the pantry stocked with jars from last August's canning — the evidence of a woman who preserves summer against winter and loss against forgetting and food against everything.
Thursday was tater tot hotdish, because Thursday is always tater tot hotdish and the schedule doesn't change for anything — not pandemics, not loss, not the passage of years. The tater tots go in at 375 and come out golden and the family eats them and the eating is the Thursday and the Thursday is the structure and the structure holds. But I also made Christmas fudge earlier this week, because the kitchen doesn't only look backward. The kitchen grows.
January. The real winter. Dark and cold, the wind off the prairie personal in its grudge. We endure with soup and blankets and the belief that spring comes eventually. I made bread — sourdough from the starter named Marlene, the bread rising in a warm kitchen while Iowa does its worst outside.
The Christmas fudge was already done, the hotdish schedule was holding, and Marlene the sourdough starter was doing her slow, reliable work — and still the kitchen asked for one more thing, the way kitchens do in December. These chocolate-covered Ritz and peanut butter cookies are what I reach for when I want something that feels festive without asking much of me: salty crackers, creamy peanut butter, a coat of chocolate that sets up shiny and firm on a cold Iowa counter. They’ve been on the Christmas tray as long as I can remember, and they’re staying there.
Chocolate-Covered Ritz & Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes (includes setting time) | Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 48 Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional)
- Holiday sprinkles, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture onto the flat side of one Ritz cracker. Press a second cracker on top, flat side down, to form a sandwich. Repeat with remaining crackers.
- Melt the chocolate. Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes total.
- Dip the cookies. Using a fork, lower each sandwich cookie into the melted chocolate, turning to coat fully. Lift out and let the excess chocolate drip off, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Top and set. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with flaky salt or holiday sprinkles if using. Let the cookies sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator until the chocolate is fully set, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Store. Transfer to an airtight container. Cookies keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 145 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 110mg