I owe my Main Taste Tester all the credit for these babies. Last week I was stopping by the grocery store and he asked for a chocolate bar but was unsure of what kind he wanted. I picked up a couple of different ones for him to choose from. When he tried the Peanut Butter M&M’s I had grabbed on a whim, he started freaking out. He LOVED them and begged me to include them in a cookie. I love M&M’s any flavor, any way so I was game. Then he asked if I could make a very dark, very chocolate-y cookie dough to put them in. The guy is a genius. I was very intrigued and made them soon after the conversation. They are very fudgy, a brownie in cookie form. The salty bits of peanut butter make them SO decadent and balance out all the fudge. I debated adding chocolate chips as well, but they really don’t need them (And that’s coming from me. I bet you never thought you’d see the day I’d advise against extra chocolate.) This weekend, pop these in the oven and pour yourself a tall glass of milk. You’re gonna need it.

 Peanut Butter M&M Brownie Cookies

 Makes about 14 large cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar, loosely packed
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1.5 cups Peanut Butter M&M’s, coarsely chopped (320 g. bag)

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In your stand mixer bowl, mix butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Scrape bowl. Add dry ingredients in two batches, mixing after each addition and scraping the bowl down. Add milk, mix and scrape the bowl again. Batter will be sticky. Stir in M&M pieces. Cover bowl and chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough out in large balls (about 2 tbsp. each) and press down on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes or so. Be careful not to over bake, the cookies will set more once they are out of the oven. Let cool on cookie sheets and once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.