Day 9 of 12 Day Christmas Blog Challenge

Day 9: Favorite Holiday Recipe

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
2. Press a toothpick into the top of each ball (to be used later as the handle for dipping) and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.
4. Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving. 

Here is the vegan & gluten free recipe

makes 30 buckeyes

• 1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter (no hydrogenated oils)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) vegan margarine (used Earth Balance in these), softened to room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 5 3/4 to 6 cups vegan confectioner’s sugar
• 1.5 bags vegan chocolate chips (about 3 cups)

Directions:

1.Mix together peanut butter and softened margarine until super smooth. ( If you’re margarine isn’t soft (because you are impatient- like I sometimes am) then feel free to whip these two ingredients together using a mixer until no margarine lumps remain. I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way, though.)

2.Stir in vanilla extract, cardamom, and sea salt.

-Using electric mixer, slowly incorporate the confectioner’s sugar until little crumbles form. The mixture should go from very creamy to looking like pulverized, dry cookie dough… very very crumbly.

3.Take a pinch or two of the powder/dough and using your hands work to form into 1 inch balls. If they appear kinda uneven, keep working them in your hands until smooth and spherical.

4.Place each onto a cookie sheet and insert a toothpick into the center. Gently pat around the toothpick to kind of “seal” it into the peanut butter ball.

5.Chill in freezer for about 40 minutes, or until very firm. This prevents the toothpicks from sliding out while dipping.

6.Using a double boiler (or microwave) melt your chocolate until super smooth. Remove peanut butter balls from the freezer and carefully swirl the ball into the chocolate, taking care not to let the toothpick slide out. 7.Place onto wax paper and repeat until all are covered.

8.Let stand at room temperature until chocolate has firmed up. Remove toothpicks and seal over the tiny hole in the middle.