Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

OMG!  These are so good!  The ONLY thing I will do differently next time, and there will be a next time, is I will make them half the size.  They are rich and I think they would be great little treats.  I got this from Cooks Illustrated.

Cookie Ingredients
1 1/4 cups raw peanuts, toasted and cooled
*I used blanched ones so they didn't have the skins
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
*I used Jiff natural-make sure to NOT use unsalted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tbsp whole milk
1 large egg

Filling Ingredients
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar

For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Pulse peanuts in a food processor until finely chopped, about 8 pulses.  Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.  Whisk butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, and egg together in second bowl.  Stir flour mixture into peanut butter mixture with rubber spatula until combined.  Stir in peanuts until evenly distributed.  Using tablespoon measure (again, I would go smaller next time, so teaspoon, maybe), place mounds, evenly spaced, on each baking sheet.  Using damp hand, flatten mounds until 2 inches in diameter (again, use your judgment based on the size you want to create).

Bake until deep golden brown and firm to touch, 15-18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Repeat portioning and baking remaining dough.

For the filling:
Microwave peanut butter and butter until butter is melted and warm, about 40 seconds.  Using rubber spatula, stir in confectioner's sugar until combined.

To assemble, place cookies upside down on work surface.  Place 1 level tablespoon (again, may vary depending on size of cookie) warm filling in center of each cookie.  Place second cookie on top of filling, right side up, pressing gently until filling spreads to edges.  Allow filling to set for 1 hour before serving.

I just can't say enough about how good these were!  I am a peanut butter lover and these are just perfection!!