My apologies in advance to all the hard core Wisconsin fans in the audience (myself included), because today I’m jumping on the Ohio band wagon with a little shameless promotion to one of my all time favorite Christmas treats; the almighty buckeye. And no I don’t mean the nut, although I can definitely be a little nutty at times; just ask anyone that knows me. I’m talking about a flawless little round ball of sheer peanut butter and chocolate bliss that is assured to bring a feeling of holiday jubilence to any set of lips it touches.
These no-bake edible gems are simple to make and completely customizable. Why stick solely with chocolate and peanut butter when you can sprinkle in a few toffee bits? How about replacing the chocolate altogether for butterscotch (my personal favorite) or, if you can track a bag down, cinnamon chips? If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, break out the cashew or almond butter for a whole new flavor experience. Make large batches and freeze some for later. Share with friends and acquaintances for an inexpensive, deliciously sweet holiday gift – if you can keep from eating them all yourself that is.
Fashion your own batch in a snap. Simply whip together a little nut butter of choice, a spoonful or two of cream cheese, a little powdered sugar and some vanilla.
Roll into balls and let them chill out in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes.
Once they’ve cooled, dip into the coating of your choice and allow them to harden. I used a spoon to dip, but you could also jab a toothpick into the top of a cold nut ball and submerge them that way.
No worries, I’m still a Wisconsin girl at heart. Now my sweet tooth is another story. You can find that hanging out with all the buckeyes across the Midwest border.
Buckeyes
Yield: about 25 tablespoon sized balls
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 16 Oz. Jar Peanut Butter (or other nut butter of your choosing)
1 3/4 Cup Powdered sugar
2 Oz. Cream Cheese
1 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
1 10 Oz. Pkg. Chocolate Chips
*Optional: Add a handful toffee chips into the melted chocolate and/or sprinkle over the top. Replace chocolate with butterscotch or cinnamon chips. Experiment and have fun!
Directions:
Beat together the first five ingredients. The mixture will be a bit dry and crumbly.
Using about a tablespoon at a go, roll the dough into balls and set on to a cookies sheet lined with parchment.
Allow 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer to chill.
Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler or in the microwave (I run the microwave for 45 seconds a go and stir after each interval. Quit when the chocolate is about 2/3 melted. If you keep stirring after you pull it out, it will melt the rest of the way and not get too hot.).
Using a spoon, a skewer, or a toothpick, dip each of the balls into the chocolate, leaving a small bit of the top uncovered and place back on the parchment to dry and harden.