Who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter? It’s such a classic flavor combination, it’s hard NOT to like.
I made these this past week after seeing them in this month’s issue of Martha Steward’s Living magazine. Thank goodness for lots of help eating these this week, as they can be dangerously addicting, especially if you’ve run out of Reese’s in your Halloween stash!
I’m embarrassed to say that I’d never even heard of these candies until I moved to the Midwest a few years ago. I lived in Michigan but there were several folks from the Ohio area, where these candies are hugely popular. I’m told that they are traditionally shaped in round balls and then dipped to resemble the nuts from the buckeye tree.
These candies have been adapted from their round shape to look like acorns. The ingredients are simply creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter (for the inside) , high quality chocolate for the outside, and pretzel pieces for “stems”. They are simple enough to make, but be forewarned, the shaping of the nut “base” was somewhat time consuming.
So, if you’re interested – grab your ingredients, put the music on, and take your time…they would look fantastic on the Thanksgiving dessert table.
Source: Martha Steward Living, November 2012
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter , 3/4 to 1 1/4 cup
- Unsalted butter , 1/2 cup softened (room temperature)
- Powdered sugar , 2 cups
- Good quality semi-sweet chocolate pieces , 6 ounces
- Pretzel pieces , 36
Instructions
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Combine peanut butter and butter in bowl.
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Add powdered sugar and stir until smooth
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Refrigerate for about 30 minutes
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Remove mixture from refrigerator and line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper
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Form the mixture into small balls (about 2 teaspoons each) and then form into acorn by flattening top and pointing bottom.
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Place each acorn on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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In the meantime, carefully melt chocolate in a small bowl set over a small pot of boiling water.
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Insert a toothpick into the pointy part of the acorn and dip halfway into the chocolate mixture.
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Remove toothpick and then insert the pretzel pieces on the opposite (ie, flat) end.
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Arrange on the cookie tray and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Recipe Notes
Original recipe called for 3/4 cup peanut butter - I needed 1/2 cup more as my mixture was super dry. I suspect the amount needed may vary depending on what brand of peanut butter you use. Shoot for a mixture that is not too crumbly and will hold together when formed into a ball.
We had friends from Ohio for our Australian/American Thanksgiving dinner last year and I surprised them with buckeyes. I’ve never made them like acorns though! Clever idea.
I can’t take credit for the creativity – it was all Martha’s idea..I wish I could come up with such cute ideas!
This recipe looks fun .. I know my guest are going to love this as a special treat on Thanksgiving. I pinned this on my Pinterest board too!
THank you for sharing.
they were definitely fun! Enjoy:)
Acorn Buckeyes looks absolutely amazing I’m going to try that thanks
Yup – they are dangerously delicious. Let’s just say I can’t afford to make them again too soon.
I grew up in Michigan, and yes….we had these every single Christmas. The kids would all freak out if my grandma decided not to put them on the cookie/goodie tray any year, lol. I love your acorn-shaped version – too cute. And I do imagine they’re pretty popular in Ohio, being THE buckeye state and all. I wonder if that’s where they got their start?
Michigan is such a beautiful state! It’d be interesting to research the history of buckeye candies. I’d always assumed that they were from Ohio but am not sure…I agree with you though – it seems likely.