Buckeye Cookies

Buckeye cookies take the peanut butter and chocolate pairing from the classic candy and bake it into a fudgy chocolate cookie, finished with creamy peanut butter frosting and a silky chocolate ganache.

Buckeye Cookies

These cookies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey.

Chopped peanut butter cups are folded straight into the dark chocolate dough, then each cookie gets a layer of peanut butter frosting and a glossy cap of chocolate ganache. One batch makes 14 cookies, and the dough needs no chilling before it goes into the oven.

Why you’ll love these buckeye cookies

If you already love buckeye candy, this cookie gives you those same flavors in a softer, chewier form. The base is a thin, fudgy dark chocolate cookie, and the toppings are generous: creamy peanut butter frosting spread across the top, then a dark chocolate ganache spooned over it.

The dough is the easy part. You need one bowl and a whisk, plus a rubber spatula for folding. There is no mixer, no creaming step, and no refrigeration time, so you can decide to bake on a whim and still have cookies cooling on the counter within the hour.

The recipe is adapted from a Ferrero Rocher cookie recipe, and the method carries over neatly: melt, whisk, fold, scoop, and bake. The result is a thin, chewy cookie that holds its own under a double layer of topping.

There are three parts to build: the chocolate cookies, the peanut butter frosting, and the chocolate ganache. Start the ganache first so it can cool for 10 to 20 minutes while you work on the frosting.

They also look far more impressive than the effort involved. A swirl of peanut butter frosting, a glossy cap of chocolate, a few flakes of sea salt, and a scatter of peanut butter cup chunks make them look like something from a bakery case.

Ingredients & Substitutions

A digital scale is strongly recommended here, especially for the flour and the cocoa powder. If you measure by volume instead, fluff the dry ingredients with a spoon, scoop them into the cup, and level the top with a straight edge. Flour and cocoa both compact easily, and a heavy hand will dry out the cookies.

Chocolate Cookies

• 113 grams salted butter, melted
• 300 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 180 grams all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 52 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 4 oz peanut butter cups, roughly chopped

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 264 grams (1 cup) creamy peanut butter
• 56 grams salted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 grams powdered sugar, spooned and leveled

Chocolate Ganache

• 113 grams dark chocolate chips
• 120 mL heavy whipping cream

Brown sugar. The cookies rely on 300 grams of lightly packed light brown sugar, and this is not the place to cut back. Reducing it changes the texture, the spread, and the chew of the finished cookie.

If you want them less sweet, take sugar out of the peanut butter layer instead and use dark chocolate in the ganache. That keeps the cookie base intact while pulling the overall sweetness down.

Cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa gives the deepest color and the smoothest flavor, but any unsweetened cocoa powder works just fine.

Butter. Salted butter is used in both the cookies and the frosting, and the salt balances the sweetness. Unsalted butter or a dairy free butter also work if that is what you keep on hand.

Eggs. Use large eggs at room temperature. They blend into the melted butter and brown sugar far more smoothly than cold eggs do.

Peanut butter cups. Four ounces of roughly chopped peanut butter cups get folded into the dough. Chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, or chopped peanuts can stand in, or you can leave the mix ins out altogether. Personally I like Justin’s peanut butter cups here, because the filling is creamier and less powdery than some other brands.

Creamy peanut butter. The frosting is built on creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter has not been tested in this recipe and would likely make the frosting runnier than it should be.

Powdered sugar. It sweetens the peanut butter layer and can be reduced slightly if you prefer a less sweet frosting.

Chocolate for the ganache. Dark chocolate is the best fit, and semi sweet chocolate works too. If you use milk chocolate, cut the cream back by about one tablespoon so the ganache still sets.

Heavy whipping cream. Look for cream with 36 to 40% fat. There is no substitution I recommend here, because a lower fat cream will not set the same way.

Step by Step Instructions

Three components come together here: the cookies, the ganache, and the frosting.

Start the ganache early so it has time to cool, then bake the cookies while it rests.

Chocolate Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) convection or 325F (163C) conventional, and line a large cookie sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar and the eggs. Whisk aggressively for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture lightens in color.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dough just until the flour is almost combined.
4. Add the chopped peanut butter cups and fold until all the flour is combined and the pieces are evenly distributed.
5. Scoop the dough into 14 round balls with a 2 ounce cookie scoop. Roll them smooth, then place five per pan with plenty of space between them.
6. Bake for about 6 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and bang it on the counter a few times so the cookies flatten a little. Quickly use a biscuit cutter, or anything round, to scoot them back into shape, then finish baking for another 6 minutes. Bang and scoot one more time, then let the cookies cool to room temperature.

Two habits matter most here. Stop folding the moment the flour disappears, and stay close during those final minutes of baking. These cookies are thin, so they move from fudgy to dry in a hurry.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and set them aside.
2. Place the cream in a small pot over medium low heat and gently heat it until it is simmering.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and cover with a lid or a towel. Let it rest for a few minutes, then mix until smooth.
4. Allow the ganache to cool for 10 to 20 minutes while you make the peanut butter frosting.

You want the ganache cooled but still runny when it goes on the cookies, so it spreads into a thin, glossy layer instead of sitting in a stiff lump.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1. Place the peanut butter and the softened butter in a small or medium pot over medium low heat and whisk until they are completely melted and combined.
2. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Keep the heat low so it does not overheat.
3. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookies with an offset spatula. The batch makes just enough for 14 cookies.
4. Freeze the frosted cookies for a few minutes before adding the ganache. It is not essential, but it helps the chocolate set faster instead of running off the edge.
5. Spoon the cooled but still runny ganache over the chilled frosting, then finish with sea salt flakes and a few peanut butter cup chunks.

If you like to keep an eye on the numbers, here is the source nutrition for one cookie.

How to make cookies ahead of time

This dough is a good candidate for a little planning, and it gives you a shortcut on a busy day.

• Make the dough as written, then scoop the balls onto a tray or a plate.
• Freeze them briefly until firm, then transfer the balls to an airtight container or bag.
• Keep the dough in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for a few months.
• Let the dough come back to room temperature before baking it as directed.

If you would rather split the work differently, bake the cookies a day ahead and frost them later. The unfrosted cookies keep well on their own, and you can build the frosting and ganache fresh when you are ready to serve.

How to store buckeye cookies

Let the finished cookies set completely before you pack them away. That takes a few hours, since the ganache needs time to firm up on top of the frosting.

• At room temperature: keep them in an airtight container or bag for 2 to 3 days.
• In the refrigerator: they hold for up to a week.
• In the freezer: they keep for a few months.

If you stack them, place a sheet of parchment between the layers so the ganache does not smear. Chilling makes the topping firmer, so let the cookies sit out for a short while before eating if you prefer a softer bite.

You May Also

If chocolate and peanut butter is your favorite pairing, these other recipes are worth a look.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

A layer cake that brings the same flavor combination to a celebration table, with a soft chocolate crumb and a generous peanut butter topping.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes built around peanut butter and chocolate, portioned so everyone gets their own instead of sharing a slice.

Moose Tracks Ice Cream Cake

A chilled, sliceable dessert for chocolate lovers, and a nice option when you want something cold and rich at the end of a meal.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese’s Cake

Another layered option for anyone who cannot get enough of chocolate and peanut butter together in one bite.

Rate & Review

One reader, kelli, left a comment on 04.05.2024 pointing out that one cup equals 8 ounces, which is a handy reminder if you work from volume measures instead of a scale. If you make these buckeye cookies, I would love it if you left a star rating and a short note about how they turned out.

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Buckeye Cookie Recipe

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Buckeye Cookies Buckeye cookies take the peanut butter and chocolate pairing from the classic candy and bake it into a fudgy chocolate cookie, finished with creamy peanut butter frosting and a silky chocolate ganache. Buckeye Cookies These cookies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey.

• Total Time: 77 min
• Yield: 14 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chocolate Cookies
113 grams salted butter, melted
300 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
180 grams all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
52 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
4 oz peanut butter cups, roughly chopped

Peanut Butter Frosting
264 grams creamy peanut butter, (1 cup)
56 grams salted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
120 grams powdered sugar, spooned and leveled

Chocolate Ganache
113 grams dark chocolate chips
120 mL heavy whipping cream

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Instructions

Chocolate Cookies
1-Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C: Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line a large cookie sheet.
2-In a medium bowl, combine the melted: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar and egg. Whisk aggressively, for 2-3 minutes, until it lightens in color.
3-Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and use a rubber spatula to fold the dough just until the flour is almost combined.
4-Add the chopped chocolate and fold until: Add the chopped chocolate and fold until all the flour is combined and the chocolate is evenly distributed.
5-Scoop the dough into 14 round balls: Scoop the dough into 14 round balls with a 2 ounce cookie scoop. Roll them so they’re smooth and then place five per pan.
6-Bake for about 6 minutes then remove: Bake for about 6 minutes then remove the pan from the oven and bang it on the counter a few times so the cookies flatten a little. Quickly use a biscuit cutter (or anything round) to scoot the cookies back into a round shape and finish baking for another 6 minutes. Then bang them on the counter and scoot them with the biscuit cutter again. Allow them to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Ganache
7-Place the chocolate chips in a small: Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside.
8-Place the cream in a small pot: Place the cream in a small pot over medium-low heat and gently heat it until it’s simmering.
9-Pour the hot cream over the chocolate: Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and cover with a lid or towel. Let it rest for a few minutes and then mix until it’s smooth.
10-Allow the ganache to cool for 10-20: Allow the ganache to cool for 10-20 minutes while you make the peanut butter frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
11-Place the peanut butter and butter in: Place the peanut butter and butter in a small or medium pot over medium-low heat and whisk until they’re completely melted and combined.
12-Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and: Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and whisk it together until it’s completely smooth.
13-Spread on top of the cookies: Spread on top of the cookies. I had just enough for the 14 cookies.
14-I like to freeze the cookies with: I like to freeze the cookies with the peanut butter frosting for a few minutes before topping with the chocolate ganache. It’s not essential but it helps the chocolate set quicker without running off the edge.
15-Spoon the cooled-but-still-runny chocolate ganache on top: Spoon the cooled-but-still-runny chocolate ganache on top of the chilled peanut butter frosting and top with some sea salt flakes and some peanut butter cup chunks.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 35 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 360kcal
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 151mg
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 35mg