Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy Natural Creamy (do not use natural peanut butter)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 & 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• heaping 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

For Little Monsters:

• candy eyeballs

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the peanut butter and butter until evenly combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until well-combined — the mixture will seem dry and crumbly, and you should be able to knead it like play dough. Scoop 2-teaspoonful mounds of dough, roll into balls, and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or overnight.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and oil. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is about 75% melted, then remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth. The residual heat in the bowl should be enough to melt the chocolate completely, but if not, place the bowl back in the microwave and heat for 10 seconds or so, then stir again (it’s very important not to overheat chocolate, or it will seize up). Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, combine the oil and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Transfer the melted chocolate to a smaller bowl so that the chocolate is deeper; this makes it much easier to dip.

Stick a toothpick into the top center of a peanut butter ball. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter visible on top. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then return the buckeye to the baking sheet, removing the toothpick to use on the next buckeye. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate. Chill the buckeyes until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the toothpicks and smooth out the hole with your pinky finger. Serve the buckeyes at room temperature or chilled.

Chef’s Notes:

To make little monsters, apply one or two candy eyeballs to the top of the buckeye and pipe melted chocolate to look like mummy bandages over the buckeye.

Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The buckeyes will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months; defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipe from Once Upon a Chef