Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

• I've not posted in a while because I've been running over the mountain and down the road to Atlanta every Thursday for the past 5 weeks.... to the orthopedics doctor for knee injections! 
• This is a valiant effort to keep me out of the OR for knee replacement for as long as possible. I know that I will face it one day, but not now.  I really appreciate my doctor and her staff  and thank them in cookies ( and homemade marshmallows in winter). 
• Mama taught me that " you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar"  and I firmly believe it! In this case, it's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. The recipe is "stolen" fair and square from the King Arthur Flour website. They are the BEST source for baking recipes. I've had several disasters with cookie recipes from blogger sites found on Pinterest. I'm back to following sites that I know I can trust! 
• The original recipe calls for mini peanut butter cups. Since I didn't plan far enough ahead to order from King Arthur, I used Reese's mini peanut butter cups ( already unwrapped) from the candy aisle. If you like/love chocolate and peanut butter, these will be a favorite! I expect the staff will be thrilled!  And I will be happy to celebrate the last injection! 

• 
  
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

2) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

3) In another bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy.

4) Beat in the vanilla, egg, and water, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.

5) Stir in the mini peanut butter cups.

6) Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Flatten each cookie to about 1/2" thick.

7) Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, or until they're set and you can smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies.