No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies puts milk, salt and vanilla extract at the center of a cookie recipe and finishes in about 45 minutes, enough for 24 -36 cookies.

• Yield 24 -36 cookies
• Ready in 45 minutes
• Cook 3 minutes

Ingredients

No-Bake Cookies

• ½ cup ( 113 g ) (8 tablespoons) butter (I use salted)
• 1 ½ cup ( 318 g ) granulated sugar
• ½ cup milk
• ⅓ cup ( 28 g ) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup ( 53 g ) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup ( 191 g ) creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups ( 300 g ) quick oats

Peanut Butter Frosting

• ¼ cup ( 57 g ) (4 tablespoons) butter, softened
• ½ cup ( 128 g ) creamy peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups ( 143 g ) powdered sugar
• Pinch salt

Chocolate Ganache

• ¾ cups ( 128 g ) chocolate chips, semisweet or bittersweet
• ⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. For the cookies, in a medium saucepan, add the butter, granulated sugar, milk, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and salt.
3. Set the pan over medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring gently (not vigorously) to make sure it doesn't stick. Once boiling, stop stirring, and cook for 60-90 seconds.
4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and peanut butter, stirring slowly until smooth. Add the oats and stir until combined.
5. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough into mounds on the baking sheets. Let cool for a few minutes and pat into round balls/circles. Press a divot into the center of each mound so it looks like a cute little chocolate nest.
6. For the peanut butter frosting, in a medium bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), cream together the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
7. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until well-combined and creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add a tablespoon of milk at a time and continue mixing if the frosting is too thick.
8. For the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer and pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until glossy and smooth. Let cool until room temperature.
9. Dollop peanut butter frosting (about a tablespoon) into the center of each no-bake cookie. (The frosting can be smoothed out with lightly wet fingertips.)
10. Spread a spoonful of the cooled chocolate ganache on top of the peanut butter frosting.
11. Chill cookies until ready to serve (up to 24 hours in advance). Serve the cookies chilled or at room temperature.

Let the center settle before you cut it, or the slices will slump.