Description
Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies combine the delightful flavors of creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate in a soft, chewy cookie base. These cookies are topped with a dollop of peanut butter coated in semi-sweet chocolate, creating a perfect balance of sweet and salty, making them an irresistible treat for peanut butter and chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Peanut Butter Topping
- About 1/2 tsp creamy peanut butter per cookie (approximately 12 tsp total)
Chocolate Coating
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy to ensure a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, the large egg, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced slightly apart to allow spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. This ensures chewy interiors with firm edges.
- Cool Partially: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Balls: While the cookies cool, prepare small peanut butter balls about 1/2 teaspoon size for each cookie.
- Top Cookies: Gently press one peanut butter ball into the center of each cooled cookie to create the signature buckeye look.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth and fully melted.
- Dip in Chocolate: Dip the peanut butter-topped center of each cookie into the melted chocolate or spoon chocolate over it to cover the peanut butter ball.
- Set Chocolate: Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature or chill the cookies briefly to speed up the chocolate hardening process before serving.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter for smooth texture, but natural peanut butter can be used for a more intense peanut flavor.
- Ensure butter is softened, not melted, to achieve the best cookie texture.
- For quicker chocolate setting, refrigerate the dipped cookies for about 15-20 minutes.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- You can substitute semi-sweet chocolate with dark or milk chocolate depending on your preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
