Buckeye Peanut Butter Cookies (Printable)
No-bake peanut butter balls partially dipped in chocolate, inspired by Ohio's beloved buckeye nut.
# What You'll Need:
→ Peanut Butter Filling
01 - 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
→ Chocolate Coating
06 - 10 oz semisweet or dark chocolate chips
07 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt using a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
02 - Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing continuously until a thick, pliable dough forms that holds its shape when rolled.
03 - Scoop out heaping teaspoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture and roll into 1-inch balls. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
04 - Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the peanut butter balls for at least 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
05 - In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil or vegetable shortening in 30-second increments, stirring between each interval until completely smooth and glossy.
06 - Using a toothpick inserted into each chilled peanut butter ball, dip it into the melted chocolate, leaving the top portion uncovered to resemble a buckeye nut. Gently shake off any excess chocolate.
07 - Return the coated balls to the parchment-lined baking sheet and carefully remove the toothpick, smoothing over the hole with your finger if desired.
08 - Refrigerate the buckeyes until the chocolate coating is fully set, about 20 minutes.
09 - Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store any leftover buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The salty sweet contrast between the peanut butter center and the chocolate shell is genuinely addictive, and you will catch yourself reaching for just one more until the tray is empty.
- No oven required, which means you can make these in a cramped apartment kitchen in the middle of summer without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- If the peanut butter dough feels too soft to roll, pop it in the fridge for fifteen minutes and it will tighten right up, which I learned after a disastrously sticky first attempt.
- Warming the chocolate too aggressively will scorch it and leave you with a clumpy unusable mess, so treat those thirty second microwave intervals like a gentle suggestion rather than a recommendation.
03 -
- Wash and completely dry your hands before rolling the balls because even slightly damp palms will make the peanut butter mixture slippery and inconsistent.
- The secret to a clean exposed top is to tilt the bowl of chocolate toward you and dip at an angle, which gives you more control than plunging straight down.