I normally don't post recipes, though I do cook an awful lot. Posting recipes seems so lavender, so . . . doily somehow. But this recipe, a peanut butter cup in cookie form, will get you hugs and kisses. Maybe even tears. From adults. Who never smile. Ever.

2 cups flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (okay, I normally can't stand it when cookbook authors stick in pretentious modifiers with their ingredients. As in: 1 c. water, preferably some totally weird-assed brand of expensive virgin glacial melt that can only be procured in Sweden. Except in this case. Dutch cocoa is the cocaine of the chocolate world.)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

8 Tbl (1 stick) unsalted butter (Do you see what I mean? Who cares if it's salted or not?)

1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening (Annoying, I know. Then you're stuck with a pound of Crisco until next Christmas. I just used more butter.)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (I leave out the white sugar. Then I put all the brown sugar in the cookie dough, using just plain old peanut butter for the filling. No one ever notices.)

1 1/4 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup light-brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between each addition. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until fully combined. Remove from mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (nonstick French baking mats) or parchment paper. (Silpats--who does she think she is?)

4. In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup light-brown sugar.

5. Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 1 teaspoon peanut-butter mixture. Top with a second scoop of dough, and carefully mold dough to cover "surprise."

6. Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks.