Homemade Do-Si-Dos

You may be surprised to know that, as a college student, I don’t buy peanut butter. I never have and I probably never will.

Here’s the thing: I just can’t trust myself around peanut butter. Peanut butter, after cheesecake, is a true personal weakness.

Case in point: these cookies.

I call them a homemade version of Do-Si-Dos (also known as Savannahs or the entirely unoriginal Peanut Butter Sandwiches), which are my favorite Girl Scout cookie. Usually when I think of a Do-Si-Do I imagine a homier version of a Nutter Butter cookie, and while these are similar, the cookies aren’t as crunchy as Nutter Butters or Do-Si-Dos. What they lack in the crunch department they more than make up for in the peanut butter filling, though.

The cookies themselves are an oatmeal and peanut butter cookie hybrid with a satisfying chew. The filling (oh, the filling) is studded with chopped peanuts and is a sweet, sticky, altogether addicting bit of peanut butter goodness.

These cookies pack a wallop of peanut butter flavor – salty, sweet, gooey, and so filled with that glorious peanut butter scent that it’s hard to resist them.

While I imagine these would be right at home alongside a glass of milk (for those so inclined), my favorite way to enjoy them is straight out the freezer, where their texture firms up a bit and the filling almost takes on a fudge-like quality.

These cookies are the sixth thing I’ve made on my 20 Before 20 list. In case you’re wondering, I have about six weeks left to tackle the remaining fourteen items. This means a lot of delicious cooking lies ahead of me. It’s a daunting task for sure but when the rewards are this sweet (both literally and figuratively), it doesn’t seem so bad.

Homemade Do-Si-Dos (Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies) 
Adapted from Mini Baker 

I have always liked crunchy peanut butter more than creamy peanut butter and luckily that's the kind we have on hand in the apartment. If you only have creamy peanut butter, add a 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts to the cookie dough and to the filling; the peanuts add a great crunch and texture to these chewy sandwich cookies. I was feeling especially lazy when I made these cookies and opted to make the cookie dough entirely by hand. It worked perfectly, but feel free to use an electric mixer if you are so inclined. (You'll actually need one to make the filling.)

Yield: about 12 sandwich cookies

For the cookies:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup quick-cooking oats (or 1 cup rolled oats ground slightly in a food processor)

For the filling:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2-4 tablespoons milk (as needed)

To make the cookies, begin by adjusting an oven rack to the center position and preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together until well-combined. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the oats and stir to combine.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart. If the cookies don't all fit on two baking sheets, bake them in batches. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie are golden brown. Allow to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat powdered sugar and peanut butter with an electric or hand mixer until smooth. Add milk as necessary until the filling is spreadable but still thick. When the cookies have cooled, spread the filling onto one cookie and top with another cookie.

The cookies will keep, stored well in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to a week. Alternatively, store in the freezer for a cold and scrumptious treat.