Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

The Super Bowl is rapidly approaching.  Do you have your menu set?  When it comes to snacking during the big game, or any big game, dips are king.  And when it comes to dips, salty is king of the kings.  But I think it's time for sweet dips to get a little of that spotlight!

This is yet another recipe I have had for a while and never got around to making--and regretted it!  It actually started out as just chocolate chip cookie dough dip.  I made it as directed, and it was good.  But it wasn't amazing.  What would take this from good to great?  Peanut butter, of course!  So I stirred in a bit of peanut butter.  Viola!  I had garnished my dip with chocolate chips, but since I had added peanut butter, I took it another step added some chopped Reese's. 

Pure heaven!  Words cannot describe how good (and addictive!) this dip is.  I'm talking about peanut butter, cream cheese, and chocolate.  These are like my three favorite things all mixed together into one bowl of awesomeness.  I could have eaten it with a spoon.  But instead I ate it with a special treat I will share with you....tomorrow!

But back to this amazing dip.  It is so easy to make that you have to do it!  Yeah, that's some peer pressure.  Start by melting brown sugar in butter or margarine.  I used margarine.  1/2 cup of margarine has 400 fewer calories than 1/2 cup of butter.  I did this step in the microwave to save time, but you could do it on the stove top also.  Whisk in vanilla.

Beat the cream cheese (I used low-fat!), powdered sugar, and peanut butter for one minute.  I didn't do the peanut butter until the end when I made this because I didn't intend to include it when I started.  But I think this seems like a reasonable place to add it!  I used a hand mixer.  I guess I was feeling ambitious.  You could also use a stand mixer.

Add the cooled butter/margarine mixture and beat it again.

Stir in the chocolate chips and Reese's.  Again, I did just the chocolate chips originally and added the Reese's later.  The ratio of Reese's and chocolate chips is just a suggestion.  Do what feels right for you!  Honestly, I am not a huge chocolate chip fan.  I think next time I will do just Reece's.  I looove Reese's!

Transfer the dip to your serving bowl and refrigerate.  Before serving, garnish with additional chocolate chips and/or Reese's.  This thought just popped into my head: if you don't want to chop up Reese's whole peanut butter cups, Reese's Pieces could be an easier, and equally delicious, substitution.  So many possibilities.  Maybe I'll have to try them all.  Yum!  Yum!  Yum!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 (8 oz) pkg light cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped Reese's peanut butter cups

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

In microwaveable bowl or glass measuring cup, melt the butter with the brown sugar, stirring every 30 seconds.  Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and set aside to cool.

Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered  sugar for 1 minute.  Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.

Stir in chopped peanut butter cups and chocolate chips.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate.  Garnish with additional chips if desired.

Serve with Nilla wafers or graham crackers.  Let dip stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving to soften.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker