Cupid Strikes Your Kitchen: Valentine Almond Butter Buckeyes [Recipe]
Posted on : February 1st, 2017
Valentine’s Day is just a cupid’s arrow away, and it’s time to think about some yummy sweet treats to make for your sweetie—or for yourself or for anyone who likes delicious and healthy treats. Your kids will love these, your coworkers will love these, everyone will love these.
So what’s an Almond Butter Buckeye? Well, it’s not a cookie, because it’s more like a candy—but in this case, healthier! And there’s no baking involved. Using Maisie Jane’s Smooth Almond Butter, or Creamy Cashew Butter, you get all the great flavor of almond butter and chocolate (it’s sort of like a peanut butter cup, but no peanut butter), with all the great health benefits of almond butter, like lower fat, lots of protein, and no food additives. It’s just straight smooth creamy almond butter. You can also use cashew butter in this buckeye recipe. The chocolate on this candy treat is also a highlight!
Try these candies this Valentine’s Day and enjoy!
Almond Butter Buckeyes
From Sarah Jampel at Food52.com
Author Notes: When you need a Valentine’s Day gift that’s so last-minute that you don’t have time to run to the grocery store, these chocolate-coated peanut butter balls are your answer.
—Sarah Jampel at Food52.com
Makes 4 to 5 dozen candies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Maisie Jane’s Smooth Almond Butter (or Maisie Jane’s Creamy Cashew Butter)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, as needed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a wooden spoon and a lot of arm power, cream together the almond butter and the butter until light in color and airy in texture. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
- Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the cinnamon.
- Next, pour in the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, and beat until the sugar is incorporated and the dough holds together when compacted. If the mixture is still wet—as might be the case if you’re using almond butter with a lot of natural oils—you’ll need to add more confectioners’ sugar. Make sure to add the sugar slowly. You can always add more, but you won’t be able to go back.
- Using your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the dough into small balls that are about the size of 2 compacted tablespoons. Place each ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheets in the freezer to firm up for 20 to 30 minutes.
- When the peanut butter balls are sufficiently chilled, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals until it’s smooth and glossy.
- Dip each frozen ball into the melted chocolate, coating each as much as you’d like. Once all of the peanut butter balls have their chocolate coats, lay them back to rest on the baking sheets and spear each one with a toothpick for a cleaner eating experience.
- Sprinkle the buckeyes with flaky sea salt, valentine sugar sprinkles, or a conversation heart, while the chocolate is still melty—that’ll help the salt to adhere.
- Put the sheets back into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chocolate has set and the buckeyes are firm.
- Sneak 1 or 2 for yourself, then wrap them up for your valentine. (And save any extra in the refrigerator for the next couple of weeks. Or keep them in the freezer for whenever you need a spontaneous gift.)
These little balls of almond butter and chocolate are the perfect indulgence for Valentine’s Day. We think you and everyone you know will love these amazing treats. Enjoy!
Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products, Inc. was founded on strong beliefs and passion for offering unique, flavorful, top-quality, almond products. We strongly believe in earth-friendly practices that start on our family owned and operated orchards. We use Organic farming practices and continue in the process by using all natural ingredients with no preservatives or GMOs. We believe in honest, friendly, and helpful customer relations at all levels. We take pride in every task, every day, with every person.
