Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crescents

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ lbs (1 stick) butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg

Filling

• ¾ cup smooth (not chunky) peanut butter
• ½ cup strained or sifted confectioner's sugar

Procedures

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt and set aside.
2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter.
3. Beat in the vanilla and sugar.
4. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly mixed.
5. On low speed gradually add the sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating until the mixture holds together.
6. Transfer the dough to a small bowl for ease in handling and set aside at room temperature.

Filling

1. In a small bowl thoroughly mix the peanut butter and the sugar.

Assembly

1. Adjust rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
2. To shape the cookies: on a large piece of wax paper place the cookie dough in mounds, using a slightly rounded tsp (no more) of the dough for each mound-in order not to make them too large it"s best to measure with a measuring spoon.
3. Do maybe a quarter of the dough at a time.
4. Then do the same with the filling, using a level ½ measuring teaspoon for each mound.
5. Place on other pieces of waxed paper.
6. Pick up one mound of the dough, roll it between your hands into a ball, and flatten it between your palms until it is very thin.
7. Then, with a small metal spatula or a table knife, lift up and place one mound of the filling in the center of the flattened dough.
8. With your fingers bring the dough around the filling and pinch the edges to seal.
9. Roll the filled dough between your hands into a cylindrical shape about 2 inches long with very slightly tapered ends.
10. Place the cookie on an unbuttered cookie sheet and as you do, turn the ends down slightly to form a short fat crescent.
11. Continue shaping the cookies and placing them ½ to 1 inch apart-these do not spread.
12. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch.
13. Reverse the cookie sheet front to back once to ensure even baking of sugar and roll the cookies in the sugar as they come out of oven.