Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies are a delicious twist on the classic holiday candy that has the perfect combination of chocolate, cookie, and peanut butter! These cookies are such a crowd pleaser, they're a welcome addition to any dessert table!
Buckeye Cookies have a chocolate fudge cookie base with homemade peanut butter chocolate buckeye candy on top.
Traditional buckeyes are a classic sweet treat during the holiday season, but they're great any time of the year for movie nights, or as snackable mini treats to hit that sweet spot!
They're made with a fudgy peanut butter center that is coated in melted chocolate, with a circle of peanut butter showing through.
We love Buckeye's candies, so of course we just had to make this cookie version! But make sure to try these Easy Buckeye's From Devour Dinner. Always a popular treat.
For more delicious candy cookie ideas try my Candy Bar Cookies, these Oreo Cheesecake Cookies, and of course my Andes Mint Cookies!
Shopping List
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract, Egg, Creamy Peanut Butter
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Baking Soda, Cocoa Powder Dutch Process, Chocolate Pudding Instant Pudding, Salt
Chocolate. Chocolate Melting Wafers
How to Make Buckeye Cookies
Make Cookies
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer cream together softened Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar.
Scrape sides of the bowl as needed to cream together all ingredients for 2-3 minutes. The butter mixture will turn light and fluffy.
Add Vanilla Extract and Eggs and continue to cream together. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
Gradually add dry ingredients of All Purpose Flour, Chocolate Pudding, Baking Soda, and Salt to the butter mixture until combined. Do not over-mix.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F Degrees. Prepare 2 cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Using a medium size #24 Cookie Scoop, place cookie dough balls on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies at 350 F Degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is no longer glossy. Do not overbake.
Press the back of a spoon or small cookie scoop into the cookies while they're still hot, making a thumbprint dent for the peanut butter mixture.
Allow cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes on the hot baking tray before moving them all to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Peanut Butter Layer
In a separate medium bowl, combine Peanut Butter with the softened Butter. Mix Vanilla Extract and Powdered Sugar to the Peanut Butter mixture. Mix until smooth
Using a small #60 cookie scoop, place 1 scoop full of the peanut butter mixture onto each cooled cookie, or roll it into 1-inch balls and place them in the wells of each cookie.
Chocolate Ganache
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate wafers for 30 seconds. Stir chips and heat for additional 30 seconds.
Stir melted chips until smooth. If additional time is needed add 15 seconds and heat.
Assemble Buckeye Cookies
Top each cooled cookie with a scoop of peanut butter layer.
Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate ganache over the peanut butter layer.
The ganache will set up as it cools.
FAQs
Buckeyes are peanut butter fudge balls that are dipped in chocolate. Buckeyes always have a circle of peanut butter visible, to give them their classic look, but for these buckeye cookies, we put the chocolate coating over the whole peanut butter ball so it sticks to the cookie better. The peanut butter can be seen when you take a bite out of the cookies!
Buckeye cookies originated in Ohio, and they are called buckeyes because they closely resemble the look of the nut of the buckeye tree from Ohio.
Store these cookies once they have completely cooled, in an airtight container for up to a week. Best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Yes! You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between each one to prevent them from sticking. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Substitutions & Variations
- Peanut Butter. Use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for extra texture. Natural peanut butter will not melt in the same way, so it won't mix well to make the peanut butter fudge.
- Chocolate Chips. Use White Chocolate Chips or Milk Chocolate Chips instead of chocolate melting wafers.
- Themes. Use different colors of chocolate melting wafers to suit special occasions or holidays.
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for baking. This recipe will make 18-20 Cookies using a size #24 Cookie Scoop.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Every oven heats a little differently. I recommend doing a test batch of 1-3 cookies to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining dough.
Cookies.
Cookies can be left in cookie scoop shape to make a nice rounded cookie or flatten cookie dough with fingers for a more pressed cookie look.
Cooling Rack.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least 2 cooling racks
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take 2 batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula are all helpful.
Have you tried these Buckeye Cookies?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Cookie Recipes with Peanut Butter
- Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter S'mores Sandwich Cookies
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies
- Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Buckeye Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup Butter Softened
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar 160g
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar 50g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs Large
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour 240g
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder Dutch Process 30g
- 1 Chocolate Pudding 3.4oz Box Instant Pudding
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Peanut Butter Layer
- 3 tablespoons Butter Softened
- ½ cup Peanut Butter Creamy
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar 130g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup Candy Wafer Chocolate
Instructions
Chocolate Cookies
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer cream together softened Butter, Granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar.
- Scrape sides of the bowl as needed to cream together all ingredients for 2-3 minutes. The butter mixture will turn light and fluffy.
- Add Vanilla Extract and Eggs and continue to cream together. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
- Gradually add dry ingredients of All Purpose Flour, Chocolate Pudding, Baking Soda, and Salt to the butter mixture until combined. Do not over-mix.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using a medium size #24 Cookie Scoop place cookie dough on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350 F Degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and the center is no longer glossy. Do not overbake.
- Using a teaspoon, press the back of a spoon or small cookie scoop into the cookies while they're still hot, making a thumbprint dent for the peanut butter mixture.
- Allow cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes on the hot baking tray before moving them all to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Peanut Butter Layer
- In a separate bowl, combine softened Butter with Peanut Butter. Mix Vanilla Extract and Powdered Sugar to the Peanut Butter mixture. Mix until smooth
- Using a small #60 cookie scoop, place 1 scoop full of the peanut butter mixture onto each cooled cookie, or roll it into 1-inch balls and place them in the wells of each cookie.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate wafers for 30v seconds. Stir chips and heat for additional 30 seconds.
- Stir melted chips until smooth. If additional time is needed add 15 seconds and heat.
Assemble Buckeye Cookies
- Top each cooled cookie with a scoop of peanut butter layer.
- Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate ganache over the peanut butter layer.
- The ganache will set up as it cools.
Notes
- Store: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. Best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between each one to prevent them from sticking. Bring to room temperature before eating.
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