1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
48 foil-wrapped dark or milk chocolate candies, unwrapped
In medium-size bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, light-brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla in bowl until smooth and creamy, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs.
In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, and salt. On low speed, beat into butter mixture. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 375. Roll dough into balls, 1 tablespoon each. Roll each ball in 1/4 cup sugar. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake in 375 oven until set, 10 minutes. Press an unwrapped chocolate candy in center of each cookie. Return to oven; bake 1 minute to set.
Let cool slightly on sheet on rack. Remove cookies to rack; let cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 2 weeks (chocolate centers will firm up overnight).
