• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch metal pan*** with foil or parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter in 30-second increments until melted. Add the brown sugar and granulated to the hot butter and whisk to combine. Let cool until just warm.
• Add the egg, egg yolk, bourbon, and vanilla and whisk vigorously until smooth. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, ginger, and nutmeg with a rubber spatula. Gently stir in the pecans and chocolate chunks, reserving some for sprinkling on top.
• Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Top with reserved nuts and chocolate, pressing in slightly.
• Bake until the edges are lightly golden, about 32 to 35 minutes. Set pan on wire rack and allow to cool before cutting. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving, if desired.
• Store for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge. If storing for more than a day, wait to slice into bars until you’re ready to serve to prevent stale edges.

Make the scones:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, espresso powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.
• Add the butter and cut with a pastry cutter or fork until the butter is the size of large peas.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla extract.
• Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and add the liquid mixture. Mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Shape dough into a rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half like a piece of paper. Flatten it out into a rectangle again. Fold in half once more, but in the opposite direction. This gently kneads the dough and stacks layers, making it cohesive and tall without overmixing.
• Divide into 2 equal parts. Gently press each dough into a 1 ½-inch tall round. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut each round into 8 wedges and place onto parchment lined baking pans. Space them out about 2 inches apart.
• Freeze for 1 hour before baking.
MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: At this point, the unbaked scones can be refrigerated overnight, or sealed and frozen for up to 1 month. If baking from frozen, add about 2 minutes to the baking time.
• Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat to 400°F.
• In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush over the chilled scones.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are set and firm. Let cool.

Make the glaze:

• In a small bowl, combine the water and espresso powder until thoroughly dissolved. In a medium bowl, add the sugar. Pour the espresso mixture and cream/milk over the sugar and whisk until a thick glaze forms.
• Drizzle each scone with glaze. Let set before serving.
• The scones are best served the day they’re baked.

• In a food processor, combine flour, butter, cheese, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water and blend until the dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a thick, flat square. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Once chilled, preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a separate sheet of parchment, roll the dough into an 11×14-inch rectangle no more than 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 1 1/4-inch squares (the width of a ruler) using a fluted pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1/4 inch apart. If you notice any crackers are thicker than 1/8 inch, re-roll and cut them again.
• Use the bottom of a straw, skewer, or chopstick to poke a large hole through the center of each cracker.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up the dough. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re puffed, golden brown on top, and crisp on the bottom. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. If the crackers become soft in storage, refresh in a 300°F for about 5 minutes then let cool again before enjoying.

Prepare the cookie butter filling:

• Line an 8 by 8-inch metal pan** with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
• Place the cookie butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds, or until pourable but not hot. Pour the spread into the prepared pan in one even layer.
• Freeze for 1 hour or until solidified.
• Use the parchment to remove from pan and return cookie butter sheet to freezer. Keep frozen while making the brownie batter.

Prepare the brownies:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Line the 8 by 8-inch pan with fresh foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until melted. Whisk in the sugars. Let cool until just warm.
• Add in the eggs and egg yolk, whisking vigorously for 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla, oil, and cocoa powder. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, cornstarch, salt, espresso powder, and cinnamon until combined.
• Spread half the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place the frozen sheet of cookie butter over the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top, covering completely. Sprinkle with the chopped cookies and lightly press them into the top.
• Place in the oven and bake for 32 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. Do not overcook.
• Let cool completely to solidify before cutting and serving.
• Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Brownies will be gooey when served warm, chewy when served at room temperature, and fudgy when served chilled.

Make the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 8 cake pans with parchment rounds and spray evenly with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and espresso powder. Pour the boiling water over mixture and whisk gently until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add brown sugar and use your hands to break up any clumps until the mixture resembles sand.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Starting in the center, use a whisk to slowly pull the dry ingredients into the wet until mostly combined. The batter may be slightly lumpy.
• Add the cooled cocoa mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 740 grams per pan). Tap each pan firmly on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles. Bake for about 32 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out with moist crumbs attached.
• Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then (if needed) run a thin knife around the edges and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla, salt, powdered sugar, and cream and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about another 3 minutes. Add additional cream to smooth the frosting if needed.

Prepare the ganache topping:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, then immediately remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. You can also do this in the microwave. Cover for a few minutes then stir until smooth.
• Allow to cool until ganache has thickened but is still pourable, about 10-20 minutes. Don’t place ganache in the fridge to cool. Meanwhile, assemble the cake.

Assemble the cake

• If your cake layers have domed at all, level with a serrated knife or cake leveler until it is flat for easier assembly.
• Place one cake layer on a cake turntable or cake stand. Place strips of parchment paper under the cake to prevent a frosting mess.
• Spread a generous, even layer of frosting over the top, pushing it out over the edges slightly. Place the second layer upside down onto the frosting so the top of the cake is nice and flat.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining frosting evenly all over the cake, smoothing the edges.

Apply the chocolate topping

• Test the consistency of the ganache by pouring a little down the side of a glass. If it’s too thick, microwave for 5 to 10 seconds. If it’s too thin, allow to continue to cool. Spread all over the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the sides. Top with peanut butter cups, if desired.
• Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.