Homemade Peanut Butter cups..otherwise known as Buckeyes

Buckeyes.  Not a very pretty name for these yummy treats.  I made these clear back in January, but for the life of me could not find the pictures on my computer!  It turns out they were still located on my camera.  So, my memory isn't the greatest any more.  Once you try these you will forgive me, my forgetfulness.  I found these at the blog, smitten kitchen, where you can also find amazing recipes.  Like I have said before, I'm a little obsessed with food blogs..my favorite list is getting a little out of hand!  (add mine to yours..just do it, you know you want too! and please pass on this blog to your friends..:) )  Anyway, my kids devoured these babies in about an hour..no not really, I didn't have enough chocolate to cover all of them, so some went in the freezer and when I was cleaning out the freezer and found these waiting in a lonely ziploc bag, my kids ate them straight from the freezer and then promptly begged me to make more.  It hasn't happened yet.  If you can't tell, I've been busy baking other things.  But these are fun, you don't have to turn on the oven for these..and for those of you out there who know about Cake Pops, i think this recipe would trump them.  (not a huge fan of the cake pops) 


Here it goes..and sorry about the pictures, you know, my skills at the camera are um, GREAT!


Buckeyes..
1/4 cup(2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (use your homemade ones if you have any left!)
Salt (just a pinch)
3 cups powder sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 ounces chocolate


In a mixer, combine cream cheese and peanut butter, and blend until smooth, add the graham cracker crumbs and mix until combined.  Add the sugar and butter, slowly mix until the sugar is well incorporated into the dough and then turn the speed on your mixer up and mix. The dough will be sturdy and ready to roll into balls.


this is what your dough will look like:

roll into balls.  I just used my hands..that were washed, don't worry! 

next, you want to melt your chocolate, I used a double broiler..(pot of simmering water, place your heatproof bowl on top of the pot and stir your chocolate until it is all melted and smooth)

 dip your peanut butter balls into the chocolate.  I found that using a fork to shake off the excess chocolate work great.  In the smitten kitchen recipe, she left part of the peanut butter showing..thus the eyes..but I wanted these to be covered! More chocolate please!

let the chocolate set about 30 minutes  in the fridge or freezer.  And ta-da!  Buckeyes.  You will need to keep these chilled, but seriously, they won't last very long so I wouldn't worry about it too much! :)