Peanut Butter Chocolate Whirligigs

These Peanut Butter Chocolate Whirligigs are radically delicious. The salty sweet dough filled with a dark chocolate swirl is so decadent. 

That is pretty fortunate, because they are kind of a pain to make. As the authors of this recipe say, "Whirligig cookies are supposed to have personality. This means every slice might be different - like snowflakes - with some swirls misbehaving and acting out."

"Like snowflakes... " I'm definitely using that term for all of my future baking misadventures. It's kind of like "rustic."

While the photo in the cookbook shows a neat thin swirl of chocolate in the shape of a "G," my swirl is more of a "U." A rustic U. Each one different. Like a snowflake. I can live with that.

While rolling up the chocolate inside of the dough is somewhat of a challenge, the most difficult part is slicing the cookies, because the dough stays soft and the chocolate gets rock hard in the refrigerator. Just be sure and use a good knife. If your dough falls apart, you can push it all back together with your fingers. Don't worry, it's pretty resilient.

An easier route would probably be to use this wonderful dough and add big chocolate chunks, but how challenging would that be? Anyone can make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Right?

Either way, the combination of flavors is beyond delicious. Trust me. 

I'm so happy I finally tried a recipe from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked. There's something very guilt producing about looking up a cookbook on Amazon so I could add a link to the recipe source and seeing "You purchased this item on December 15, 2012." Sheepish grin. I'm so glad I finally baked one of their recipes!

If you like this flavor combination, you must try my chocolate peanut butter chip muffins too. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Whirligigs

Adapted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients.
Makes about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

For the dough

2 1/4 C all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda (which I forgot)

1 tsp salt

6 ounces unsalted butter, cool but not cold

1 C packed dark brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

3 T vegetable oil

3/4 C smooth peanut butter

1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

For the chocolate filling

12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% liquor) coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp corn syrup

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugars, oil, and peanut butter. 
3. Beat for about 5 minutes on medium high. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. 
4. Add half of the flour mixture, and mix until blended. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Scrape the dough out onto a piece of parchment or wax paper and shape it into a disk. Wrap with the paper, and then plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for 3 to 24 hours. 
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half. 
7. Place each half on top of a piece of parchment paper and press it into a 9 1/2 by 7 1/2 inch rectangle. You can top the dough with more parchment or wax paper and use a rolling pin, or you can use your hands. I kept a bench knife nearby to trim and patch the dough to get a rectangle. Place it back in the refrigerator. Repeat with the second piece of dough. 
8. While the rectangles are resting in the refrigerator, place the chocolate and corn syrup in a microwave proof bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Let cool for a few minutes. 
9. Remove one of the rectangles from the refrigerator and spread half of the chocolate over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border on one of the long sides. From the other long side, using the parchment to roll the dough, roll it into a log (don't actually roll the parchment into the cookie). 
10. Wrap the log with the parchment, and then plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. 
11. Repeat with the other rectangle. 
12. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
13. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Remove one of the logs and, with a serrated knife, slice it into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch disks. Rewrap any leftover part of the log and place back into the refrigerator while the cookies bake. 
14. Bake the first sheet for 11 to 13 minutes. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then move the cookies to a wire rack. 
15. Repeat until all of the cookies are baked. 
16. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to two days.