Peanut Butter Knockouts

I brought these cookies to work for a party we were having and everyone was asking for the recipe. These cookies are very good :)

• Ready In: 13 mins
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  package  duncan hines  peanut butter cookie dough
• 1  whole egg
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1  egg yolk
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1  dash salt (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup  miniature semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
• 2  teaspoons shortening

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine cookie mix, contents of peanut butter packet from mix and whole egg in large bowl.
3. Stir until thoroughly bleded.
4. Shape dough into 36 (about 1 inch) balls.
5. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Press thumb gently in center of each cookie.
7. Combine cream cheese, peanut butter, egg yolk sugar and salt in medium bowl.
8. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until blended.
9. Stir in mini choc.
10. chips, if desired.
11. Fill center of each cookie with rounded teaspoonful of filling.
12. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.
13. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets.
14. Remove to cooling racks.
15. Cool completely.
16. Place chocolate chips and shortening in small resealable plastic bag; seal, place bag in bowl of hot water for several minutes.
17. Dry bag with towel, Kneed bag until contents are blended and chocolate is smooth.
18. Snip a tiny hole in corner of bag.
19. (I just stick a toothpick and make a little hole) Drizzle contents over cookies.
20. Allow drizzle to set before storing cookies between layers of waxed paper--ps.
21. I usually just microwave the choc.
22. and save some time and drizzle over cookies.