Cocoa Peanut Butter Cookies

I have cookies for you! Peanut butter ones. With chocolate in them. Classic combo! These cookies are much lighter than your standard peanut butter cookie recipe. This recipe only has 1/2 a stick of butter for 2 1/2 dozen cookies. Despite the lack of butter, they are still soft and chewy. You may want to eat these with a nice cold glass of milk.You also may want to find someone to share these cookies with because this recipe makes a ton!

Cocoa Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from: Cooking Light

1/4 cup butter, room temp.
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (for rolling)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and cocoa and continue mixing. Add in water, vanilla, egg whites and egg. Continue mixing until well blended.
2. In separate bowl wisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add about a 1/2 cup at a time to the peanut butter mixter and stir with a spoon until everything is incorporated.
3. Spoon out about 2 tbs of dough and roll into a ball. Place in a small bowl with sugar and roll until coated. Place on the lined cookies sheet and press the cookie gently with a fork. Continue until cookie sheet is full. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (May need to bake these cookies in 3 batches.) Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a wire rack for cooling. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 36 cookies.