Dipped Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies -- The Ones Marc Would Have Loved

Halloween. Aiden: Giannis Antetokounmpo (the basketball obsession has expanded internationally). Zaria: a chef, year four, with her apron and her mini cast-iron skillet as a prop. She is committed to the role. The role is her identity. The skillet is her badge. I walk behind them trick-or-treating and think about Marc, who loved Halloween, who showed up every year with a costume nobody expected and candy nobody asked for.

Walking behind the kids that night — Aiden in his Giannis jersey, Zaria death-gripping her mini cast-iron skillet like it was a culinary Oscar — I kept thinking about what Marc would have brought to the door. It was never just candy with him; it was always something nobody asked for and everybody remembered. These dipped peanut butter sandwich cookies are my answer to that: a little indulgent, a little dressed-up, the kind of thing you make when you want Halloween to feel like more than just a bag of Snickers. I made a batch after we got home, while the kids sorted their haul on the floor, and it felt exactly right.

Dipped Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 1 hr (includes chilling) | Servings: 18 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons heavy cream
For dipping:
10 oz semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
Orange or Halloween sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Make the dough. Beat peanut butter, butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms.
Chill. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
Preheat and portion. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the back of a fork, pressing a crosshatch pattern into each.
Bake. Bake for 10—12 minutes, until edges are just set and bottoms are lightly golden. Do not overbake — they firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the filling. Stir together peanut butter, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until smooth and spreadable. Adjust cream by the teaspoon if needed for consistency.
Sandwich. Spread a generous layer of filling on the flat side of one cookie and press a second cookie on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth.
Dip. Dip each sandwich cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on a parchment-lined tray. Add sprinkles immediately if using, before chocolate sets.
Set and serve. Let cookies rest at room temperature or refrigerate for 15 minutes until chocolate is fully set. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Dipped Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies -- The Ones Marc Would Have Loved