I may have gotten carried away with this recipe for Valentine's Day. Don't give up on me quite yet, the healthier ingredients I am using here will surprise you. The story of this recipe began with some left over ricotta cheese. This was the remainder from a recipe I made for baked ziti when my son was home for college. Ricotta cheese isn't something I use often and wanted to use it up before it got pushed to the back recesses of the fridge. I knew I was in the mood to bake one snowy winter day, but cheesecake or some lemon ricotta cookies were not the route I was going. Somehow I stumbled on a recipe for a pierogie that of all things had a ricotta and peanut butter filling. Chocolate chips would make a nice addition. This was starting to remind me of chocolate chip cookie dough. In addition to ricotta cheese, the filling has peanut butter and honey, which makes it sugar free. We won't go into the health content of the pie crust, this is for a holiday after all.

Cookie Dough Hand Pies

By Inspired by the Seasons

Filling:

1/2 c whole milk ricotta
1/4 c smooth peanut butter
2 T honey
2 T chocolate chips, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Combine above ingredients in a small bowl. Place filling in a pastry bag with a wide tip or use a sealable plastic bag with a 1" wide slit cut out of one of the corners.

For pie:

1 pie crust
1 3" cookie cutter
1 egg lightly whisked for wash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Lightly flour the surface you will be working on. Roll dough into 2 12" diameter circles. With one circle cut out 10 hearts with the cookie cutter. On top of each heart add filling in the shape of a "V". Cut remaining hearts and cover the filling, making sure to line up the edges. Either pinch the edges together with your fingers or use a fork. Cut slits on the top. Transfer to 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with egg wash.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.