Caramel Peanut Hearts - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp molasses
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup store-bought thick caramel sauce
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Preparation

Beat the butter, sugar, molasses and peanut butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in the sifted flour in two batches. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Grease 2 baking pans and line with parchment paper.
Roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out 32 hearts using a 2 3/4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut out centers from 16 of the hearts with a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. (Discard the centers or bake on a separate baking pan.) Place the hearts about 2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
Bake the whole hearts for about 10 mins and remaining the hearts about 8 mins. Cool in pans 2 mins. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
Spread the whole hearts with caramel and top with the remaining hearts. Dust the hearts with sifted powdered sugar.