Description
Peanut Butter Penguins are adorable, festive treats made by coating Nutter Butter cookies in a rich chocolate peanut butter mixture and decorating them to look like little penguins using candy pieces. Perfect for holiday parties or fun dessert tables, this recipe combines creamy peanut butter, dark chocolate, and colorful candies for a delightful and visually appealing snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Coating
- 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp salted butter
Penguin Base and Decorations
- 16 ounce package Nutter Butter cookies (32 cookies)
- 32 Mini Nilla Wafers
- 64 brown Reese’s Pieces
- 48 orange Reese's Pieces halved (24 whole pieces)
- 64 Candy eyes
Instructions
- Prepare Chocolate Mixture: Combine the dark chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, and salted butter in a medium sized, microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir well. Continue heating in 10-15 second increments, stirring between each increment, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- Coat Nutter Butter Cookies: Dip each Nutter Butter cookie completely into the chocolate mixture. Use a fork underneath to gently shake off excess chocolate. Place the coated cookie on a wire rack or a cutting board lined with parchment paper.
- Add Penguin Stomach: Press a mini Nilla wafer onto the center bottom half of each cookie to form the penguin’s stomach.
- Attach Eyes and Nose: Place two candy eyes on the top half of the cookie for eyes. Press half of an orange Reese’s piece, cut side down, underneath the eyes for the penguin’s nose.
- Make Feet: Position two orange Reese’s piece halves horizontally below the mini Nilla wafer on the bottom half, cut side down, to serve as the penguin’s feet.
- Add Wings: Attach two brown Reese’s pieces, one on each side just below the indent on the cookie, to create the wings.
- Repeat Decoration: Repeat these decorating steps for all 32 cookies.
- Chill to Set: Place the decorated cookies on the rack or board in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow the chocolate to set completely.
- Serve: Serve the Peanut Butter Penguins chilled or at room temperature. Be aware that at room temperature the chocolate may smear slightly on fingers but will remain delicious.
Notes
- Store the Penguins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- The penguins can be frozen for up to 6 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Prepare all Reese’s pieces, separating colors and halving the orange ones, before starting to decorate to streamline the process.
- Have the mini Nilla wafers and candy eyes open and ready before decorating.
- Be careful not to overheat the chocolate mixture to avoid burning; peanut butter and butter help make the melting more forgiving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
