REESE’S-Buckeye Whoopie Pies

Buckeyes are more than just a nut or even a candy confection. These whoopie pies combine buckeyes with REESE’S for one unbeatable treat.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #snacktalk #CollectiveBias

When it comes to creating treats for big college sporting events, I obviously like to make recipes that mimic the buckeye candies. When REESE’S asked me to create a yummy basketball game time recipe it was an easy sell. The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is obviously the best game time combination ever created! The scarcity of the REESE’S products on the shelves at my local Walmart is further proof of the high demand this time of year.

So what did I make? Whoopie pies! I hadn’t made whoopie pies in a very long time. In fact there is only one other whoopie pie recipe on my blog and it was in 2011. Clearly, it was time for another. I started with chocolate whoopie pies with peanut butter dots baked into them as the buckeye “eye”.

The whoopie pies were then sandwiched around a peanut butter frosting stuffed with REESE’S unwrapped minis. By the way, having them already unwrapped makes baking with REESE’S so much easier! And makes them incredible dangerous as you can eat them by the handfuls. I speak from experience O:-).

Then end product is a soft and chewy chocolate cake-like cookie with a sweet and creamy peanut butter filling with bursts of REESE’S. No matter which team you are cheering for, I’m certain these babies will be a slam dunk at your party. They were clear winners in my divided-house!

Do you have a go-to snack featuring any of the REESE’S products? The Snack Talk Challenge is an exciting challenge that REESE’S is giving to consumers encouraging them to submit their best game time REESE’S recipe. Show off your #SnackTalk for a chance to be nationally recognized! The final winner will be recognized on www.reesessnacktalk.com, CBS, and walmart.com! There are also be special in-store displays at Walmart highlighting the challenge and all of your favorite REESE’S products that you can grab for your perfect game day snack recipe.

Enter the REESE’S Snack Talk Challenge:

1. Follow REESE’S on Twitter @ReesesPBCups
2. Make your best REESE’S recipe
3. Share your recipe on on Twitter or Instagram (via Twitter) with #SnackTalk #ChallengeEntry
4. Enter here: https://www.reesessnacktalk.com/

Three years ago: St. Patrick’s Day Recipe Roundup (2012)

Four years ago: Heart-Stuffed Shells in a Ricotta Sauce

REESE’S-BUCKEYE WHOOPIE PIES

Makes approximately 1 dozen

Ingredients:

WHOOPIE PIES

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

FROSTING

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1-2 Tbsp milk, if needed

4 oz. REESE’S unwrapped minis, cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated. Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients. Do not overbeat.
3. Use a cookie scoop (mine is 1-1/2″ diameter) to drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies to a sheet. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 7-9 minutes, or until the tops are set, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack.  Repeat with any remaining batter.  Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.
4. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the peanut butter and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. If needed, add milk of more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Fold in REESE’S minis.
5. Pair the cookies up by shape and size. Flip one cookie of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up. Scoop frosting (using my cookie scoop) onto the flat-sided cookie of each pair, in the middle. Sandwich the cookies together so the flat sides are facing each other and press gently to help the filling reach the edges. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.