Oreo Peanut Butter Cups

Are you in your post holiday sweets aversion phase?  Does the very sight of Christmas cookies and goodies make you a bit nauseous?  Yeah me too, but I couldn't not post these little guys.  File it away mentally for next Christmas maybe or pick up some Valentine's muffin cups and make these sweets for your sweet in February.  If you love PB and chocolate, definitely make them sometime. 

The recipe itself is not innovative or ground breaking--it's pretty similar to buckeyes but with some graham cracker crumbs thrown in.  The crumbs add some pretty awesome texture.   

It's the Oreos that take these over the top.  Do you feel like a cookie or candy?  No need to decide. 

If you want to make these without the Oreos you just pat them into the muffin tins and then you'll top with chocolate.

I say O-R-E-O makes everything better.  Yes, I have a not-so-secret love affair with Oreos.  I keep the family pack in the house for my family of one.  If you ask I'll tell you it's because they package them in 5 stay fresh packages that last longer.  If you press me I'll admit it's because Oreos are the greatest store-bought cookie in the world.  Universe perhaps.  

Double Stuf of course.  The only thing that would heighten my love affair with Oreos would be if they were to spell "stuff" correctly.  Maybe even change it to a past tense verb.  Does Nabisco mean these cookies have double the stuff(ing) or that they've been double stuffed?  Noun? Verb? Should food really be so ambiguous?  I look the other way only because, well, they are Oreos. 

No need to press the PB filling on the bottom if using Oreos.  Just plop one small scoop in the tin and press your Oreo in pretty firmly.  The PB filling should ooze up and around the Oreo to fill in all the crevices. 

Drop another scoop of PB filling on top and press all around the Oreo and then smooth out the top. 

Top with melted chocolate and refrigerate until firm.  I think these are so much better eaten cold-they get a little mushy at room temp. 

Without the Oreo.  Tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. 

Oreo Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups melted butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs(about 1/2 box or 2 sleeves)

1 2/3 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar

Oreos

Chocolate Topping
2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

1. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.  This recipe will make 15-20 depending upon thickness, whether you use regular Oreos, double STUFFED Oreos or no Oreos)
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter and powdered sugar in larger bowl.  Pour melted butter over and stir until well mixed.
3. Drop one teaspoon into each cupcake liner.  Place an Oreo on top and press down.  Top with another scoop of peanut butter filling and press down well around the edges to fully wrap filling around the Oreo.  Smooth out top.
4. Combine chocolate and pb chips in a medium glass bowl. 
5. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir.  Microwave for additional 30 seconds, stirring once midway through.  Stir until smooth and spread on top of the peanut butter cups
6. Refrigerate cups until firm