Step 1

preheat the oven to 350F and set a lined baking tray aside.

Step 2

whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and optional vanilla extract until well-combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and use a spatula to combine the two until a dough forms.

Step 3

place the bowl of cookie dough in the freezer for at 10 minutes, to allow the dough to set (alternatively, you can keep it in the fridge overnight). In the meantime, break the chocolate bar into small squares, using a knife if necessary. Each square should be approximately 1/2″ x 1/2″, but if your bar is thin, you can stack two pieces.

Step 4

use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop one tablespoon of dough, then flatten it to form the “base” of the cookie. Top the bottom layer of dough with the chocolate, then an additional flattened tablespoon of dough. Use your hands to press the bottom and top layers together and shape the cookie into a circle. Place on a baking tray, and repeat with the remaining dough. Optional: create a crosshatch pattern oby pressing gently down on the center of each cookie with a fork

Step 5

bake in the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are fragrant and some fine cracks appear on the cookie surface. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking tray for 3 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack.

Step 6

hot or warm; the chocolate center of the cookie will remain molten for ~30 minutes after baking, but is equally delicious once firm! Store leftovers at room temperature, in a container with a loose fitting lid, for up to 5 days.