Technically these treats are called Buckeyes, but since I can almost guarantee no one around here is up on candy terminology that originated in Ohio, I’m taking some liberties with the name.

This recipe comes from Baked Explorations, and was also featured on Smitten Kitchen. Both sources talk about why you only partially dip the balls; something to do with a buckeye tree nut from Ohio or some such thing. As you can see, I didn’t have the time and/or patience for some fussy artistic dipping, so I basically just stuck a toothpick in the top, swirled the balls around in some melted chocolate chips, and pulled the toothpick out. Yes, this method leaves you with some unsavoury looking holes on the top, but I think when there are Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls on the table, no one is going to care.

These were the third treat that I made with Nicole on our baking bonding day a few weeks ago. They are super simple to make, and to make it even easier, you don’t even need to bake them. They reminded me a lot of my Cookie Dough Balls back on Halloween. In fact, if I make these again, I would decorate them the same way, dunk them all the way in chocolate, and put some red and green sprinkles on the top.

My share of the treats were gifted to my work bestie today as he and his fam are big chocolate/peanut butter fans, although obviously I ate a few during the dipping process.

To conclude this series of posts from baking bonding fest 2010, Nicole has requested that I post her pictures from her holiday party last weekend, before she left on her big trip to Cambodia. That is, if you can call this a request: “Excuse me….no shouts outs for my photos? Are they going to make your blog?”

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls

Source: Baked Explorations

Ingredients

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened (this would be 2oz, or a quarter of a block)

1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 cups icing sugar

1 1/4 sticks butter, melted and cooled

12 oz dark chocolate (60-72%), coarsely chopped (in a pinch you can use chocolate chips, but they won’t give you as smooth and glossy a coating)

Directions

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add graham cracker crumbs and beat again. Add sugar and butter and mix until everything is incorporated and well mixed.
  2. Using clean hands, form into little balls, in the size of your choice. After her party, Nicole reflected that she would rather they have been smaller, sort of a one-bite situation. Put the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. We flash froze the balls at this point, and just dipped in chocolate when we needed them.
  3. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler (i.e. in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water). Using a toothpick/fork/skewar/your fingers, dip the balls however you like.
  4. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Kathleen made these as well and liked them better straight from the freezer.