Buckeye Brownie Cookies

Turn the popular buckeye candies into a cookie. Brownie-like cookies are baked with peanut butter balls in the center and then drizzled with chocolate.

It’s no secret that I love peanut butter and chocolate, especially in the form of buckeye candies which is why #PBChocSat is my favorite day of the week! Today those lovely candies are being transformed into cookies. The peanut butter center is made similarly to buckeye candies – consisting of peanut butter and powdered sugar. The peanut butter balls and places right into the center of the brownie cookie dough to bake right in. Kind of like making thumbprint cookies but you add the filling before you bake instead of after.

When baked, the cookies look just like squashed, puffy buckeye candies. I actually hesitated to put the chocolate on top because it would hide the eye of the buckeye, and they reminded me of the reverse of the Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies. But I decided that a little extra chocolate would be worth the sacrifice and this way the peanut butter center would be a bit of a surprise to others. Whether people were surprised I could not tell, but they were certainly devoured quickly!

One year ago: Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

Two years ago: Individual Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Three years ago: Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup (2011)

Four years ago: Veggie Lasagna

BUCKEYE BROWNIE COOKIES

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped and divided

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Coarse sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, set aside.
2. Melt the butter and 8 oz. of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water,
   stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar in a medium bowl, set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
5. Add melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. (Set aside double boiler for later use.)
6. Slowly add dry ingredients and stir until it is well incorporated. Form dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon-sized balls (about 24 total), place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart, and make an indentation with your thumb in the center of each.
7. In a separate medium bowl, mix powdered sugar with peanut butter until it is combined. Roll it into teaspoon-sized balls (about 24 total), and then press into the indentations in the cookies, flattening the peanut butter slightly.
8. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer them to a wire rack then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Melt remaining semisweet chocolate in the double boiler and spoon over the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Allow to set before serving or storing in an air-tight container.

Source: Adapted from OMG Chocolate Desserts and Cookies and Cups.