Name: Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1 (17.5-ounce/496-gram) package sugar cookie mix , see note; 1 cup pecans , toasted and chopped fine; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted; 1 1/4 cups heavy cream; 1 cup chunky peanut butter; 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese , softened; 1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Why This Recipe Works

Toasting the pecans in a skillet over medium heat intensified their flavor. Melting the chocolate for this recipe for Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups in the microwave prevented scorching—much easier and faster than a double boiler. Semisweet chocolate chips contain emulsifiers that allow them to melt and reharden more successfully than bar chocolate.

Before You Begin

You will need a mini-muffin tin for this recipe. For neat assembly, use a piping bag to fill the cups with the peanut butter mixture. Sugar cookie mix is sold in the baking aisle alongside boxed cake mixes. These cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup mini-muffin tin. Combine cookie mix, pecans, and flour in bowl. Slowly stir in butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press 1 tablespoon cookie mixture into bottom and sides of each muffin cup. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in tin, then turn out cookies. Repeat with remaining dough.

With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup cream to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. In another bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream.

Microwave chocolate and remaining cream in small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour 1/2 teaspoon chocolate mixture into each cookie cup, then fill cups with 1 tablespoon peanut butter mixture. Drizzle remaining chocolate evenly over cookies and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.