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These buckeye cookies are the ultimate mashup of chocolate and peanut butter in a delicious little cookie cup. They start with a chewy chocolate cookie and then you stuff them with a creamy peanut butter filling, and drizzle the top with a rich chocolate ganache.
Need another chocolate cookie recipe? Try these hot cocoa cookies, triple chocolate cookies, or peppermint bark cookies next.
As a lifelong Ohio resident, I couldn’t resist the new recipe idea for these Buckeye Cookies. If you don’t know, the state of Ohio is known as the “Buckeye State,” the buckeye tree is our state tree, and buckeye candy (made of creamy peanut butter balls dipped in melted chocolate) is our state dessert.
And because of that, I’ve come up with all the delicious buckeye recipes. Try buckeye dip, buckeye bites, or healthy buckeyes next.
What Is A Buckeye?
Buckeyes are a candy made of a sweet peanut butter ball (think peanut butter fudge) dipped in chocolate so just a portion of the peanut butter is showing. The look just like buckeye nuts when they’re done.
These chewy brownie-like cookies take a delicious twist on buckeye candies. The result? One amazing cookie that you don’t have to be an Ohioan to enjoy.
This time of year has us reaching for the more decadent, elaborate cookie recipes just like this one. If you’re looking for more holiday cookie originality, be sure to try these frosted eggnog cookies, chocolate chunk marshmallow cookies, or hot cocoa cookies.
If you like these buckeye cookies, you’ll also love these peanut butter cup cookies, made with another classic holiday candy (Reese’s peanut butter cups).
How to Make Buckeye Cookies
The full printable recipe card and nutritional information is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This buckeye cookie recipe is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.
Dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Wet ingredients: In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Finish the chocolate dough: Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. The dough will be slightly wet and sticky.
Bake cookies. Using a teaspoon or very small cookie scoop, shape the dough into one-inch balls and place one in each muffin cup of a greased mini-muffin tin. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350 degrees f.
Success tip: Put a little cocoa powder on your fingers and hands to prevent the dough from sticking to the palm of your hand or fingers.
Press a hole into the baked cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use the back of a teaspoon to press a hole into the center of each cookie, deep enough to hold a 1-inch peanut butter ball.
Make the peanut butter mixture. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to combine peanut butter and butter on high speed until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
Make peanut butter balls: Use a scant Tablespoon to scoop and roll the peanut butter into small balls.
Fill the chocolate cookies: Place each peanut butter ball inside the chocolate cookie.
Make chocolate ganache. Mix all of the chocolate topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Working quickly, use a spoon to partially cover the tops of the cookies with ganache, letting it run down the sides. Allow them to set and harden before serving.
Success tip: put a piece of parchment paper under the wire rack to catch chocolate dips.
Can I Bake Them on a Cookie Sheet?
If you don’t have a mini muffin pan on hand, you can make these buckeye cookies on a baking sheet. However, you’ll need a bit of extra time to chill the dough and ensure they don’t spread.
Follow the instructions to make the dough. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour then scoop them using a small cookie scoop (about 1 heaping Tablespoon). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until puffed and set around the edges. Platten the ball of peanut butter slightly and press it into the top of the freshly baked cookie. Follow the instructions to drizzle with ganache.
Expert Recipe Tips
After testing this easy buckeye cookie a few times, I’ve compiled a list of my top tips to make sure they turn out every time.
- Use room temperature ingredients for best results. This includes room temp butter and a room temp egg.
- Use a creamy, no drip, peanut butter for the peanut butter filling. Natural peanut butter with the oil on top is too runny.
- Don’t over bake them or they will start to dry out and crumble around the edges. The cookie dough balls are small and they bake fast.
- Work quickly with the ganache. It sets up fast and won’t drizzle as well. Add a splash of hot water if it starts to harden before you’re ready.
Freezing and Storing Tips
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can chill the cookie dough covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Sit at room temperature to soften slightly for 30 mintues before following the directions to scoop and bake.
To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely until the buckeyes are set. Store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months.
To freeze the cookie dough, follow the steps to make the dough and scoop into balls. You can bake the cookie dough directly from frozen. Roll the frozen dough in sugar and bake as directed, adding an extra minute to the bake time.
If you make these chocolate peanut butter buckeye cookies, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies
These flourless oatmeal chocolate chip cookies call for semisweet chocolate chips and old fashioned oats.
These no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies give you delicious chocolate flavor without the oven.
One of my favorite holiday treats are these peanut butter Ritz cookies and Ritz thin mints.
Love peanut butter cookies with chocolate in the center? Try these peanut butter blossoms or peanut butter cup cookies.
Buckeye Cookies
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed (Note 1)
- ½ cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buckeye Filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (194g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease one 24-count mini muffin tin (or two 12-count mini muffin tins) with non stick spray and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl with a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the dry ingredients until combined and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It will be slightly wet and sticky.
- Use a heaping teaspoon to shape the dough in one-inch balls and place in each mini muffin cup. The dough will be a little wet and may stick to your fingers and hands as you're rolling. You can put a little cocoa powder on your fingers and hands to prevent this.
- Bake the dough in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes or until the cookies puff up and set. The cookies are small, so be careful not to over bake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use the back of a teaspoon to press a whole into the center of each cookie, deep enough to hold a 1-inch peanut butter ball.
- Allow them to cool slightly in the pan then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While they’re cooling make the peanut butter filling. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to cream the butter and peanut butter on high speed until smooth. Some butter lumps are okay. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Use a scant Tablespoon to scoop and roll the peanut butter into a small ball. Place each peanut butter ball inside the chocolate cookie.
- To make the ganache, place a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack with the cookies to catch any extra chocolate ganache that drips off. Mix all of the chocolate topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Working quickly, use a spoon to partially cover the tops of the cookies with ganache, letting it run down the sides. Allow them to set and harden before serving.
Notes
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tin (Note 2 Cookie Sheet)
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just like the suckeye football team they look good but fall apart once they are done LOL. Go Blue! The cookies are delicious