BAKED Sunday Morning: Buckeyes

My mom and I used to make chocolate peanut butter balls and chocolate cherries every year for Christmas. We would spend hours rolling peanut butter balls and rolling cherries into soft nougat and then dip them into chocolate. We didn't have enough room to store them in the refrigerator to set, so mom would stack each sheet pan and put them out on the back porch because it was just as cold out there as the refrigerator. We made these each year for our Christmas party and even though we would eat a good share of the peanut butter balls, there were always plenty to put out for our guests.

This week's BAKED Sunday Morning recipe is similar to the chocolate peanut butter balls I used to make with my mom, but instead of dipping the entire peanut butter ball into the chocolate, you leave some of the peanut butter showing so they look like a buckeye. I think it is much easier to dip the entire ball into the chocolate and then go back and cover the hole made by the toothpick with a little chocolate. I had a difficult time maneuvering the chocolate to cover the hole for the buckeyes. After covering myself and the counter with chocolate, I finally had an idea to use the wire dipper that you dip eggs into the dye at Easter. You just have to close the wire opening where you put the egg so that it will fit around the peanut butter ball. Much easier method than using a skewer! The recipe also includes crushed graham cracker crumbs which I am not sure I liked, but the different taste didn't prevent me from eating a good portion of them.

They make a great gift for family and friends especially when you put them in Martha Stewart's holiday food packaging. Visit BAKED Sunday Mornings to get the recipe and see the group's buckeyes. 

Mom's Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

1 pound margarine (I now use unsalted butter)

2 pounds creamy peanut butter

3 pounds confectioners' sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 packages of chocolate chips

Mix together the first four ingredients and knead. (Mom and I would get our hands dirty here, but you can use a mixer.) Form into balls and place on a baking sheet covered in wax paper. You can layer the balls on the sheet, by just placing a piece of waxed paper between each peanut butter ball layer. Chill the balls overnight. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. (We used to use Nestle's Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, but you can use your favorite chocolate.)

Using a toothpick or skewer, dip each ball into the melted chocolate making sure you shake off as much of the chocolate that drips and place on the covered baking sheet. When you have finished dipping the balls, dip the toothpick into the chocolate and cover each hole in the peanut butter balls. Chill until chocolate is set. You can use parchment paper instead of wax paper. This recipe makes enough peanut butter balls to serve for a party or give as gifts.