Gretchen makes these every Christmas, and I like them a little too much. When I was scanning my brain for dessert ideas....for some reason Buck-Eyes said 'cowgirl desserts' to me. I think I just wanted an excuse to dip more peanut butter in chocolate.
They sell Buck-Eyes at Cracker Barrell (fyi: they don't taste very good from Cracker Barrell, so don't be fooled-leave 'em there and make your own), but everything at Cracker Barrell must be country, right? So, it fit my theme. Tonight I made my own batch, thanks to Gretchen's recipe. The balls worked great, but I didn't have a lot of luck with the chocolate. I have a constant battle with melting chocolate, but that's a personal problem, and these'll do for now regardless of the war zone formerly known as 'my kitchen.' They aren't standing alone at the shower, and I'll hide the ugly ones (most of them) in the bottom of the pail. They taste wonderful, and really, that's what counts! I made them too big, and I cut the recipe by 1/3 to test my math skills, and to try to persuade myself there aren't enough for me to sample. This can be dangerous!
Here's the recipe. Try these, and you too will want to befriend Gretchen (if you haven't already) so she'll bring you some of these around Christmas...I'm counting down the days until I get my next Christmas delivery. :O)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
6 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla
6 whole graham crackers, pulverized into crumbs (optional)
4 c. semisweet chocolate chips.
Instructions:
1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, and set aside. Use a wooden spoon to mix together the peanut butter, sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and graham crackers. The dough will look dry. (The graham crackers supposedly make it a little more crunchy, but I thought it was smooth even with the crackers...so add them...or don't...but that's what they are 'supposed' to do if you choose to add them.)
2. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (mine are way too big). Set them on the prepared cookie sheet and insert a toothpick into each ball. Chill in the freezer until hard, about 30 minutes.
3. Melt the chocolate. Use the toothpick as a handle and dip the balls into melted chooclate, leaving a small circle at the top uncovered. Placed back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about two hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Makes about 7 dozen.
4 comments
My favorite aunt, Aunt Carole makes these. She lived in Ohio once, "Buckeye state". Melissa Carole's namesake. Yummy post once again, sideways angle something new.
I forgot I didn't fix the angle! Ha....it did make it a little more interesting, but....I had to fix it because I think I'm different enough. What a fun Buckeye Tradition. :O)
when you use "6 c. of powdered sugar" do you mean 6 cups of confectioners sugar?
Yes, confectioner sugar. :)
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