Buckeye Cookies (2024)

For the peanut butter layer:

• ▢ 3 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar

For the cookies

• ▢ 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• ▢ 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 tsp. espresso powder
• ▢ 1 tsp. baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp. cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 8 Tbsp. butter, unsalted
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet or dark)
• ▢ 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark, tightly packed
• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar

Chocolate layer

• ▢ 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• ▢ 1-2 tsp. melted coconut oil
• ▢ flaky sea salt, optional

• Make the peanut butter layer first. Cream the butter, peanut butter and salt together until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar on low speed until combined.

  3 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, softened, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 cup powdered sugar

• Scoop the peanut butter mixture (about 1-ish Tbsp.) and roll into a ball. Flatten into a disk, and place on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet. Refrigerate while you make the cookies.

• Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl: flour, Dutch cocoa powder, espresso powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and set aside.

  1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, 2 tsp. espresso powder, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. salt

• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and butter. Stir just until ingredients are melted and be careful to watch so chocolate doesn't burn. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

  8 Tbsp. butter, unsalted, 1 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet or dark), 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Using a stand-mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugars for 3-4 minutes or until thick and pale in color.

  2 large eggs, room temperature, 3/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark, tightly packed, 1/4 cup sugar

• Using a rubber spatula, stir in the cooled chocolate/butter mixture until well combined.

• Add in the flour mixture and fold until combined, avoid over-mixing. Dough will look shiny.

• Chill cookie dough in fridge for at least 10 minutes so batter can thicken and look more like cookie dough. (Chilling the dough will also help the cookies bake up thicker & help prevent spreading). Preheat oven to 350°F while dough chills.

• Scoop batter using a cookie scoop so cookies come out even in size and roll into a ball in the palms of your hands. Place on a baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes. (Will make ~10 cookies, depending on size scoop you use, I used a 3 Tbsp. scoop but you can of course make smaller).

• Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

• Melt white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwavable safe bowl in 30 seconds increments, stirring in between, until smooth.

  1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1-2 tsp. melted coconut oil

• Gently press the chilled peanut butter disk on top of the cooled cookies and flatten it on top of the cookie if it's too thick. Spoon the melted chocolate over the peanut butter and garnish with flaky sea salt. ENJOY!

  flaky sea salt, optional

• Storage: Store them in an air tight container and you can freeze them for up to 3 months or covered at room temperature for 3-5 days.