Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, use convection bake if you have it. Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease well with baking spray. Set aside.

Add softened butter and cream cheese to a medium-sized mixing bowl and use a hand or a stand mixer to blend until smooth.

Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the bowl once complete.

Add the eggs and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2-3 portions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl once complete.

Use a large cookie scoop to spoon the cookie dough on to prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops and edges begin to crack (most cookies should bake for at LEAST 20 minutes - it's hard to tell when they're done!).

Remove them from the oven and use the cookie scoop or the back of a large spoon to immediately make an indent in each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature before adding the filling.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth.

Add ½ cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth, then set aside.

In a separate bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, whip the heavy cream, ¼ powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream mixture into the peanut butter cream mixture using a silicone spatula.

Chop the peanut butter cups into small pieces and fold them into the peanut butter pie filling (reserve some for topping the cookies, if desired).

Spoon the peanut butter pie mixture into indents in the cooled chocolate cookies.

Top with the reserved chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate sauce and whipped cream (if desired). Store these cookies in the fridge.