Christmas cookies are a sacred and memorable part of my family’s Christmas celebration. As a child, I remember spending multiple days before Christmas making festive cookies with my mom and grandma.
During our baking sprints, we would make everything from homemade sugar cookies to colorful spritz cookies to Grandma’s famous buckeye cookies.
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The cookies were then placed in tins and reserved for the big family gathering on Christmas Day.
I’m not a huge cookie person, but Christmas cookies are an entirely different story. I have a deep deep deep love for Christmas cookies. Maybe this love stems from my childhood memories of baking with my mom and grandma? Or maybe I’m drawn to the unique flavors, colors, and textures of these cookies?
I’m going with all of the above.
During my birthday celebration at my mom’s house last week, my mom pulled out a red tin from her freezer. I knew what was inside: Grandma’s buckeyes! She passed the tin around the table and I eagerly reached in for one (or two) of the chocolate-coated cookies. Suddenly, I realized…I have to share Grandma’s buckeye cookies with you! You need this recipe.
I looked over at my mom and with my mouth full of peanut butter and chocolate, asked, “May I have the recipe for Grandma’s buckeye cookies?”
My mom walked back to the kitchen and moments later came out with a handwritten recipe card from my grandmother. I took a photo of the card, visited the store for the ingredients the next morning, and here we are today.
Before sharing the recipe, let me point out that this recipe calls for a ton of sugar. I’m talking about 2 cups of powdered sugar. Friend, I thought long and hard (okay, just a few minutes) about converting the cookies over to a honey-sweetened or maple-sweetened treat, but then my reasoning took over…
- The powdered sugar not only provides a sweet flavor to the cookies, but it also holds the cookies together.
- This is Grandma’s famous buckeye cookies recipe. A recipe that’s been passed down in my family. A recipe that I enjoyed as a child, and one that I plan to continue making and enjoying with my kids. Memories and tradition win!
I decided that Grandma’s recipe shouldn’t be tweaked. Plus, it’s Christmas (and my birthday). A homemade treat that’s made with (organic) powdered sugar is exactly how I plan to celebrate.
More Christmas Sweets and Treats
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: The classic we all love. Get the recipe…
- Sugar Cookies: Perfect for the holidays or any time of the year. We use this recipe to make Halloween cookies, birthday cookies, Easter cookies, and Christmas cookies. Make the cookies and then decorate according to the season (you can now find natural dyes for decorating). Get the recipe…
- Cinnamon Rolls: Making this recipe at Christmas is now a tradition in our home and one that our family looks forward to every year. Get the recipe…
- Snickerdoodle Cookies: Soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies. Slightly sweet and tangy, a classic holiday cookie. Get the recipe…
- Jam Thumbprint Cookies:Buttery shortbread cookies made with einkorn flour and topped with a jam filling. Get the recipe…
- Homemade Marshmallows: The ultimate Christmas treat, a cup of hot cocoa and homemade marshmallows. Get the recipe…
Grandma's Famous No-Bake Buckeye Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar (240g)*
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (382g)**
- 6 TB butter softened***
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (74g)
- 10 ounces organic semi-sweet chocolate chips (285g // 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 TB coconut oil
- Maldon salt flakes or Fleur de Sel--my salt is from Trader Joe's (optional for sprinkling)
Special Equipment:
- large bowl
- hand mixer
- sheet pan
- parchment paper
- medium bowl
- toothpick optional for dipping the peanut butter balls in the chocolate
Instructions
- Place the sugar, peanut butter, butter, and coconut in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer (or stand-mixer) to beat the ingredients together. This may take several minutes (2-3 minutes). The dough is ready when the ingredients are fully combined.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper. Roll the dough into small balls, and place the balls on the baking sheet. Place the sheet pan (and balls) in the freezer. If you don't have room in your freezer, place them in the fridge.
- While the cookies cool, in a medium-size bowl, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. I use a microwave to do this: place the ingredients in the bowl, and microwave in 25 second increments, stirring each time, until fully melted. If you want to use the stove-top, you'll need to melt the ingredients in a double boiler: place a glass bowl on top of a saucepan partially filled with water over medium heat. Heat until the ingredients are fully melted, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the balls from the freezer (or fridge). Carefully pierce a ball with a toothpick, roll it around in the chocolate, and then place it back on the parchment paper. I like to drizzle any remaining chocolate over the cookies to cover the toothpick piercings. Repeat this process with each ball. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to lower the balls into the chocolate.
- (Optional) Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt over the cookies. This adds a fancy touch and a nice salty flavor to the chocolate. Just a pinch over each cookie.
- Place the cookies in the fridge and allow them to cool until the chocolate is firm (about an hour or two). Store the cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge for two weeks, or a few months in the freezer.
I like using real coconut, wafers, and crushed nuts in them too
Awesome, Jennifer. Glad you have a favorite variation.
Mmmmmm…. these look YUMMY! The sugar content almost put me off, but no. I’m going there. And then I read “Maldon sea salt”. Yes! Maldon, on the Essex coast of England is an ancient and beautiful little town where salt is still evaporated the old-fashioned way. And it’s about 30 miles from me 🙂 That salt can’t be bettered!!
Ha, Angela! I know, lots of sugar in this. I thought about tweaking it, but just couldn’t mess with a family recipe that’s been passed down. Wow, I had no idea where Maldon sea salt actually came from–love it! Thank you for sharing.
Delicious! They taste JUST like regular buckeyes, but I think I enjoyed them more because they’re not so overwhelmingly sweet.
Delicious! They taste just like regular buckeyes but I think I enjoyed them more because they were not quite as sickening sweet.
Hey Hannah, I’m so glad you all enjoyed them!
thank you, Kristin! Can’t wait to make them this week with my baking-addicted teenager.
I am really eager, however, to see that photo of your grandmother’s original recipe card, in her handwriting. That is SO special, and it would accompany this post perfectly!!
Hey Rachel, Enjoy! I need to post that card when we get back from traveling. My iPhone photo was very poorly lit, so I’ll be sure to add a good photo when we get back in January. A good excuse to visit my mom and snap a photo of my grandmother’s recipe :).
Thanks! Perfect idea for my kids to make for Pop Pop. Or to make minis and put them in vanilla ice cream!
Great idea, Katie!
Looks awesome! I live in Ohio (transplant) and everyone talks about Buckeyes…never really had them and this recipe makes me want to make some! Thanks Kristin!
That’s awesome, Terry! They are definitely a northern treat. My family is from Michigan :). Enjoy!!
Could I use coconut butter in place of butter? I’m dairy intollerant.
Hey Hazel, That’s a fantastic idea! I think the coconut butter should work beautifully in this recipe, and it will provide such a great flavor to the buckeyes. Let me know how it goes!
Thank you for posting the recipe. These look delicious. Happy Belated birthday. I hope you have a wonderful vacation. Merry Christmas.
Thank you so much, Ali :)! Merry Christmas!