Recently my friend Tess made cookies from a box of devil’s food cake mix and then mixed in pieces of Reese’s peanut butter cups.  It was a wonderful thing…and it inspired these cookies. 

Bakers inspire bakers.   It’s what makes the world go round.

I took one of my favorite double chocolate cookie recipes and loaded with pieces of Reese’s and chocolate chips.

Today’s trick: Making desserts semi-healthy and still delish.

I’m an avid health freak when it comes to food and turn my nose up to anything greasy, buttery, processed, or fried.  Just not my thing.  I eat it whole and from the ground, not the factory. But when it comes to sweets, my sweet tooth is out of controooool.  

But, you can make a very decadent dessert at least seem healthy. If you are going to load em’ up with chocolate like I do, just make adjustments in the other ingredients such as using whole-wheat flour.

Point proven right here. I did not use butter in these cookies and instead I used unsweetened applesauce.  You cannot tell the difference at all!   

It’s a no brainer here people… swap out the “bad fats” …to make more room for more chocolate.

Double Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups

• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce  (or ½ stick unsalted butter)
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, broken in pieces (use as many as desired)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

- In medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt) and set  aside.

- In large bowl whisk together the applesauce with the sugars, vanilla, and egg.

-Combine the dry ingredients in the large bowl.  Add the broken up Reese’s and the chocolate chips.

- Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes (rotating sheets halfway through baking). Let cool on the sheets.

Eat. me. now.