Giant Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Buckeyes Recipes

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until well combined. Scoop 2-teaspoonful mounds, and roll into balls; arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Microwave the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe medium bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Stick a toothpick or skewer into the top center of a peanut butter ball. Dip the ball 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. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate.
• Chill the buckeyes until firm, about 30 minutes. Smooth out the hole left by the toothpick with an offset spatula. Serve at room temperature or well chilled. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cubed butter, distributing it all over the top of the dry ingredients, then dollop in the cream cheese (1-inch dollops should do it, but it doesn't need to be perfect). Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until the mixture is mostly mealy and there are still some larger clumps of butter and cream cheese intact. With the mixer still running, add the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract, if using, then continue mixing until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring constantly, or in a microwaveable bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Set aside to cool briefly while you roll out the dough.
• Beat the remaining whole egg with a splash of water for an egg wash. Roll out a dough disc on a lightly floured surface, dusting with flour as needed to prevent it from sticking, until it is a wide rectangle, 18-by-9-inches. Use an offset spatula to spread half of the chocolate over the dough in a thin even layer, leaving a 1-inch border along the long edge that's farthest from you. (Try to work kind of quickly so the chocolate doesn't harden.) Brush the border with a thin layer of egg wash. Starting on the long end closest to you, roll the dough into a long, tight log, then place it seam-side down on a cutting board or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days (depending on fridge space, you might want to cut the log in half so you're dealing with four shorter logs instead of two really long ones; wrap in plastic if refrigerating for longer than 1 hour).
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Brush the logs with a thin layer of egg wash, then sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky salt and a ton of sprinkles or sanding sugar. Cut into 1 1/2-inch slices and transfer to the baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown on top, about 24 minutes. (You might notice that the cookies seem to sweat and leak out some fat while in the oven; this is completely normal.) Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or enjoy them warm! Fully cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
• Prepare the shortbread: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
• Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour and salt and mix until evenly combined. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Prick the shortbread all over with a fork.
• Bake until the shortbread is baked through, set and lightly golden, 22 to 26 minutes. Cool completely, and remove the outer ring from the springform pan. Place on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
• Wipe out the bowl of the mixer, and make the peanut butter filling: Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
• Spread on top of the cooled shortbread, leaving it slightly more mounded in the center than at the edges. Transfer to the refrigerator while you make the glaze.
• Place a medium heat-safe bowl over a medium pot of simmering water. Add the chocolate, coconut oil and cream to the bowl and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is melted and fluid. (Alternatively, the mixture can be microwaved in a microwave-safe container in 15-second bursts, stirring after each burst until the mixture is fully melted.) Cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour the glaze over the cooled cookie, using a small offset spatula to help coat the edges evenly as needed. If necessary, you can collect the glaze that runs off the cookie onto the baking sheet and pour back over to glaze any missed spots.
• Once the cookie is fully glazed, use a large spatula to transfer it to a platter. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely for 45 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife and serving. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°.
• In large bowl, combine sugars, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla and egg; beat well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well.
• If you are making the large cookies, it helps to chill the dough for an hour or so at this point, before shaping. It seems to make a firmer cookie--less likely to break. If you aren't concerned about that, you can skip this step.
• Shape about 1/4 cup dough (for 3-inch cookie) into a ball and place 4 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet (6 per sheet).
• Bake at 375° for 13-16 minutes.
• Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely on wire rack.

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk melted butter and both sugars.
• Whisk in eggs and vanilla til blended.
• Stir in peanut butter.
• In smaller bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
• Stir into butter mixture.
• Stir in peanuts.
• With a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out dough, shape into balls. Makes 24 - 4" cookies.
• Place on parchment lined cookie sheets 2" apart.
• Flatten gently into 3" rounds.
• Bake in 375° oven for 12-14 minutes. Til light golden brown around edges but still slightly soft.
• Slide parchment paper onto wire rack to cool.
• Make criss-cross fork indentations on top of cookies for a more traditional look.