Buckeye Cookies
If you love Buckeye Candy but you also kind of wish they were cookies, you’re in luck, because these delicious Buckeye brownie cookies are the best of both worlds! A creamy peanut butter layer is placed on top of a fudgy brownie cookie, then layered with melted milk chocolate for the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter. These Buckeye cookies are a dream for anyone who loves this irresistible combination of flavors!
Craving more chocolate-peanut butter goodness? You’ve come to the right place. After you’ve made this Buckeye cookies recipe, try my Buckeye Brownies! I also have more peanut butter chocolate cookie recipes, like Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies. For treats that are on the healthier side, try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls. I’ll include even more chocolate and peanut butter recipe at the bottom of this post. Can you tell I really love chocolate and peanut butter?
Why This Recipe Works
- Best Buckeye brownie cookies. Maybe you’ve tried the Crumbl Buckeye brownie cookies before—let me tell you, the homemade version of this amazing cookie is so much better! Plus, you get way more cookies for less money!
- A pb & chocolate lover’s dream! With a chewy and chocolatey brownie cookie base, topped with the perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter, this recipe for Buckeye brownie cookies is perfect for my fellow fans of the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate.
- Buckeye cookies freeze well. These cookies will last in the freezer for 2-3 MONTHS, so you can always have cookies on hand to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter: The rich base of any delicious cookie, butter also make an important appearance in the thick peanut butter truffle layer.
- Sugar: A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives the perfect chewy texture to the Buckeye brownie cookie, while powdered sugar is crucial to the peanut butter truffle layer.
- Vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla extract in both the brownie cookie base and the peanut butter truffle layer enhances and complements the chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
- Dutch process cocoa powder: I love to use this kind of cocoa powder when baking anything chocolate because I think it provides the best rich chocolate flavor, ideal for these chocolate brownie cookies. Wondering what the difference is? Check out my Cocoa Powder Guide.
- Cornstarch: Helps brownie Buckeye cookies stay soft and chewy.
- Baking soda: To give our cookies some lift.
- Creamy peanut butter: The most critical component for peanut butter Buckeye cookies. Creamy peanut butter means we have a nice, smooth layer of peanut butter goodness. I advise against using natural peanut butters because they’re typically runnier and we want the peanut butter truffle layer to keep its shape and stays in place.
- Milk chocolate chips: Melted milk chocolate chips are the cherry on top, or the chocolate on top, that really makes the Buckeye brownie cookies recipe reminiscent of Buckeye peanut butter balls.
How to Make Buckeye Cookies
- Prep oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup of softened unsalted butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and ¾ cup of granulated sugar. Mix together on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining wet ingredients. Add 2 large room temperature eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Add 1 cup of Dutch process cocoa powder, 2½ cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt to the mixing bowl. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Add cookie dough to prepared cookie sheet. Use a ¼ cup measure to portion the dough into large round balls. Place brownie cookie dough balls on the baking sheet with a few inches in between—I only put 6 balls of cookie dough on one sheet. Use the palm of your hand to gently press down on each ball of dough so it forms a thick disk.
- Bake. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is no longer shiny. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. While the cookies bake, make the peanut butter layer.
- Cream butter and peanut butter. In a medium mixing bowl, whip together 6 tablespoons of room temperature unsalted butter with 1 cup of creamy peanut butter until smooth.
- Add remaining peanut butter truffle ingredients. To the peanut butter mixture, add 2 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and 2½ cups of powdered sugar. Beat until the mixture comes together.
- Shape peanut butter layer. Portion the peanut butter mixture into balls that are 2-3 tablespoons each. Flatten the peanut butter balls into thick disks.
- Add peanut butter layer to warm cookies. While the brownie cookies are still warm, add a peanut butter layer to the top of individual baked cookies.
- Melt milk chocolate chips. Adjust your microwave to half power. Add 1 cup of milk chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 60 seconds. Once the chocolate is melted, use a spoon to carefully pour melted chocolate in a circle on top of each peanut butter buckeye cookie.
- Let set and enjoy. Let the chocolate harden, and enjoy these thick, chewy, and delicious cookies!
Recipe Tips
If you don’t have Dutch process cocoa powder, you can use regular unsweetened baking cocoa. Just be aware this will affect the overal chocolatiness of the cookie, and it may also affect the cookie’s rise and shape since natural cocoa powder has a different acidity than Dutch process.
I’ve seen some recipes that use a box of brownie mix in the base layer for these kinds of cookies. If you’re looking for a shortcut, I do have a Brownie Mix Cookies recipe—although the texture is much fudgier than the cookie I developed for this Buckeye brownie cookie recipe, and I can’t be sure how well it would hold up under the thick peanut butter layer.
You can make these cookies smaller, just reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes, and make the peanut butter discs smaller.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Make Ahead: These cookies last for 4-5 days when kept in the fridge, so you can easily make them a couple days in advance to serve. Alternatively, you can make the dough and the peanut butter mixture a few days in advance and bake and assemble the day you plan to enjoy these cookies.
Storing: Store leftover Buckeye brownie cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freezing: Buckeye cookies freeze great! Flash freeze cookies, then wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in a zip top bag or freezer safe container for 2-3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough to bake at a later time. Check out my Freezing Cookie Dough guide to learn how.
Recipe FAQs
Because of the dairy in the peanut butter layer, these cookies do need to be refrigerated. They taste great when chilled!
Absolutely! These cookies freeze really well and will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Buckeye cookies are inspired by the traditional treat of Buckeye peanut butter balls. The Buckeye tree is the Ohio state tree, and Buckeye balls look like the nuts from the Buckeye tree—but while Buckeye tree nuts are poisonous, Buckeye balls are delicious!
More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Recipes
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
- Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Buckeye Cookies
Ingredients
Brownie Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar - packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Buckeye Layer
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips - melted
Equipment
Instructions
Make the Brownie Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough comes together. Using a ¼ cup measuring spoon portion the dough into round balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet. Using the palm of your hand gently press down on each ball just slightly until it creates a very thick disk. Place 6 per cookie dough balls per baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and the center is no longer shiny. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Make Peanut Butter Layer
- While the cookies are baking make the peanut butter buckeye layer: cream the butter and peanut butter together. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt and mix to combine. Add the powdered sugar and beat until it comes together. Portion the mixture into 2-3 T sized balls. Press down on each ball with the palm of your hand to create a thick disk.
Final Assembly
- Once the cookies have cooled on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack. Now place a peanut butter buckeye layer on top of each warm cookie.
- Melt the milk chocolate chips in the microwave on half power for 60 seconds. Once melted use a spoon to carefully pour some melted chocolate overtop of each peanut butter topped cookie. Let the chocolate set and then enjoy!
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