​Ahh the peanut butter sandwich cookie.  Two delicious peanut butter cookies with a sweet smooth filling.  What else can I say here?  You can taste them already, right :)  Okay so there are a few steps to go through, might take a minute to make them, but you will be very happy when you are done.  This may or may not be my second batch . . . we may have polished off the first batch before photos were taken, just saying.

Go ahead, you can smile :)

​Ingredients:
3/4 cup  flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp turbinado sugar
2/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
 
Filling:
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar
 
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F
 
Place the oats on a cutting board and chop them into small pieces.  Put the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
 
In a separate bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until completely smooth.  Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
 
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.  Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball, arrange 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass or small pan, gently press down on each ball to slightly flatten.
 
Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove from over and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
To make the Filling:
In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the peanut butter, honey and powdered sugar together.
 
Do the same as you did for the cookies here, spoon about 1 tbsp of the filling out and roll into a ball, place it on the flat side (bottom) of a cookie then place another cookie on top, flat side to filling, push down gently until the filling goes to the edges.

​Now pour yourself a big glass of milk and Mangialicious.  Keep cookies covered, no need to refrigerate, unless you don't eat them all in four days, then move them to the refrigerator!  

Did you know you could make ganache, cool it and then whip it?!  Me either!  Now that I do though this might be one of my go to frostings.  There is no butter, which means I do not have to keep whatever I frost with it in the refrigerator and worry about it drying out.  Yay!  Also if you really don't like sweet frostings, this is great for you.  And speak about easy, all you do is melt, whip and enjoy!
 
Ingredients:
2 C. dark chocolate chips (I use 70% Cacao)
1 C. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. brewed espresso
1/2 C. powdered sugar
 
Instructions:
In the microwave using a microwave-proof bowl, melt the chocolate chips and whipping cream together.  Stir until smooth.  Be careful not to over melt.  Do this by melting 20 seconds at a time.  Stir, 20 seconds, stir, 20 seconds.  It should take about 3 - 4 times.
 
Place the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour or until you can spoon some out and it keeps it's form.  You’ll know your chocolate ganache is cooled enough when you can scoop out some and it keeps it’s shape.
 
Spoon the ganache into your stand mixer, add the vanilla extract and the espresso and using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff.  It should take 4-5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and whip just until the powdered sugar is combined.
 
Pipe onto your cooled cupcakes.  What I noticed when I was frosting these Dark Chocolate Banana Espresso Cupcakes, is that you need to work timely.  This is chocolate and if your hand is on the piping bag too long it starts to melt a little bit.  So I only put a little frosting in the bag at a time. 
 
You do not need to refrigerate this frosting.  I left mine out, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 4 days, then sadly the cupcakes I put it on were all gone  :(  I am sure you will find this frosting Mangialicious!!

Just close your eyes and you can almost taste this incredible cupcake :)

Finding the perfect cupcake to make is hard work!  Well I have done all the work for you by bringing you to my website for these unbelievably moist cupcakes with a triple shot of decadent flavor, dark chocolate, banana and delicious espresso.  You can't go wrong with this combination! Not too dense, not too light, just perfect so you can Mangialicious!
 
I frosted these cupcakes with my Whipped Chocolate Espresso Ganache frosting.  You can get the recipe here.

Glad you opened your eyes for these?!  Give them a try, let me know what you think.

​Makes 16 cupcakes
 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp melted butter
4 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup raw sugar (Turbinado sugar)
2 large eggs , room temperature
1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped out)
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup almond milk (you can substitute regular milk)
3 tbsp brewed espresso
 
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Prepare 2 cupcake trays with muffin papers.
 
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.  In a separate large bowl beat together the butter, oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla bean seeds with an electric mixer on medium speed.   Next slowly beat in the flour mixture followed by the almond milk and espresso.   Then beat in the mashed bananas with the mixer on low.
 
Fill the cupcake papers about 2/3 full, and bake for 15-18 minutes depending on your oven and until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on baking rack and then frost (although I may have ate one or two without frosting :) )

Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy!!  Or . . . finish off that espresso you used to make the frosting.