Melted Snowman Peanut Butter Cookies Food

MELTED SNOWMAN COOKIES

Steps:

• PREP: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner and set it aside.
• COOKIE DOUGH: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter until it's melted. Set aside to cool back to room temperature (hot butter will melt sugars and cause greasy cookies). Once at room temperature, use a spatula to scrape every bit of butter into a large bowl and add in the brown and white sugars. Mix with a large whisk until smooth.
• COOKIE DOUGH, CONT.: Add in the peanut butter, almond extract (if using), and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Add in one egg and mix just until ingredients are incorporated and then add in the last egg. Continue mixing until the ingredients are just incorporated. Add in the baking soda and salt and mix until just incorporated. Add in the flour and again mix until just incorporated. Don't over-mix.
• CHILL: Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Scoop the cookie dough and roll into large balls that are each 3 tablespoons in size (don't make these smaller) and if desired (optional) roll cookie dough balls in some extra granulated sugar. Place dough balls on a lined cookie sheet -- 6 cookies at a time, leaving ample room for spreading.
• BAKE: Bake for 8-14 minutes. Ever so slightly under-baking the cookies will keep them soft and chewy. (They also bake a bit more on the cookie sheet when removed from the oven). Be careful to not over-bake these cookies!
• COOL: Remove the cookies and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
• ADD PEANUT BUTTER CUPS: When the cookies are almost completely cooled, but not all the way, gently press an unwrapped miniature peanut butter cup into the center of the cookies. Let the cookies finish cooling completely. (If the cookies are fully cool, it's fine, just attach the Reese's with melted white chocolate.)
• DECORATE: Once the cookies are completely cooled (you can chill them if you're in a warm kitchen), melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave. Microwave the chips (don't add oil or anything) in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a small spoon, spoon the white chocolate over the miniature peanut butter cup. Tap the cookie on the counter a few times and then add another spoonful of white chocolate on top if needed. Again, tap the cookie a few times to get the white chocolate to spread out smoothly.
• SNOWMAN HATS: Run a very sharp serrated knife under very hot water. Dry and then cut off the base of a miniature peanut butter cup. Place some of the melted white chocolate on the bottom of a mini peanut butter cup and attach it to the cut miniature cup. Repeat the process to make more snowman hats.
• DECORATE, CONT.: Immediately press in the "hat" (see above step) to the top of the "head" of the snowman and then add two miniature chocolate chips (placed upside down) below the hat and finally one orange sprinkle below the chocolate chip eyes (Note 5). Repeat with remaining cookies. Allow them to harden at room temperature.

PEANUT BUTTER SNOWMEN

Steps:

• Place white chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. If necessary, microwave on high for additional 30 second intervals until mixture is smooth. If you prefer, place in double boiler over low heat, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
• Meanwhile, pierce 1 end of each cookie with a toothpick. Use the toothpick to dip entire cookie into the white chocolate mixture. Let excess drip back into bowl and lay cookie on wire rack. Before the white chocolate has a chance to cool, decorate the cookie with various candies into a playful snowman.
• Place chocolate sprinkles as eyebrows, blue or green dots for eyes, an orange sprinkle placed vertically for the nose and several red nonpareils for a mouth. Cut a gumdrop in half, slice a sliver from each half lengthwise to form a crescent shaped brim to the hat. Top off the hat with a gumdrop half and reserve the other half for another snowman. You may have to flatten the gumdrop a bit to fit the snowman.
• After the snowman has completely dried, tie a red string licorice around the neck as a scarf. Using a rolling pin to flatten the licorice will make it easier for the scarf to stay tied and look natural.

MELTED SNOWMAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt the candy melting wafers according to the package directions. Spoon some of the melted candy on top of a cookie and spread it so it covers most of the cookie but has an irregular border. Place a slice of marshmallow toward the top edge and spoon some more melted candy on top, smoothing it to fully cover the marshmallow and blend it into the candy on the cookie.
• Decorate the face of the snowman with mini chocolate chips for eyes and an orange sprinkle as a carrot nose. Place a peanut butter cup half on top of the snowman's head like a hat. Use other sprinkles to add a mouth or buttons if desired. Repeat with the remaining candy, cookies and decorations (rewarming the candy melts if necessary). Let the cookies set, about 10 minutes.