Buckeye Cookies Remix

Peanut Butter Layer

1. Start by creaming together butter, peanut butter, and salt until creamy but not fluffy. Adding a pinch of salt cuts peanut butter’s natural sweetness.
2. Add powdered sugar gradually on low speed to avoid airborne clouds; mixture should be thick and workable, not dry like sand.
3. Scoop roughly 1 tablespoon (about 14g) and roll into balls. Press each ball flat into disks—a uniform thickness helps melting and final appearance.
4. Lay disks onto parchment-lined plate or sheet. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes; longer chills prevent melting in next steps.

Dry Mix

1. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee granules, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Coffee heightens chocolate’s complexity, though espresso powder is a fine substitute.
2. Whisk lightly but ensure no lumps or clumps.

Chocolate Butter Melt

1. Melt chocolate chips and butter in a small saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Stir constantly; the mixture will gloss over and thicken slightly when ready.
2. Remove from heat promptly to avoid scorched bitterness. Stir in vanilla extract; aroma should explode—if burnt, start over with fresh batch.

Egg and Sugar Whip

1. Use hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat eggs and sugars for 4-5 minutes till pale, light, and thick—this traps air, giving rise and chew.
2. Look for a soft ribbon when you lift the whisk—the color changes from yellow to near white.

Combine Wet and Dry

1. Fold cooled chocolate mixture into the egg batter with a rubber spatula. Cause fading color and glossy shine.
2. Add dry ingredients in batches; fold deliberately to prevent overworking gluten. Dough should look satiny, slightly shiny, hold shape but tender to touch.

Chill and Shape

1. Fridge dough minimum 15 minutes to thicken (this stops spreading during bake). Preheat oven 345°F (instead of 350°F) for gentler rise and to avoid cracking.
2. Scoop dough with 2.5 tablespoons or cookie scoop for even sizing. Roll into balls, place on parchment or silicone mat, spaced a bit apart to allow rise.

Bake Cookies

1. Bake 12-14 minutes. Cookies should feel set at edges, slightly soft in center, with surface cracked but not dry.
2. Remove from oven; cool on sheet 7 minutes before transferring to wire rack—carryover cooking finishes interiors. Avoid moving hot or fragile cookies.

Chocolate Dip

1. Melt semisweet chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until smooth. Coconut oil thins chocolate making dipping easier and adds subtle fragrance.
2. If chocolate thickens too much, add teaspoon coconut oil or cocoa butter carefully.

Assemble Final Cookies

1. Press chilled peanut butter disks gently onto cooled cookie tops. If disks feel thick or stiff, flatten slightly with fingers so they melt in sync with chocolate dip.
2. Spoon melted chocolate over peanut butter layer; do not fully submerge—maintain partial visibility for signature buckeye look.
3. Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately after dipping. The salt heightens contrast, and texture snap. Let chocolate set at room temp till firm.
4. Store in cool place, avoid fridge if possible to maintain chew.

Notes

1. If peanut butter mixture is too crumbly, add a teaspoon milk or heavy cream to smooth texture. Natural peanut butter can be swapped but expect drier consistency; add extra butter accordingly.
2. Watch chocolate melt carefully; overheated chocolate seizes quickly, turning grainy. If that happens, add warm cream spoon by spoon.
3. Eggs and sugar whipping step often skipped but crucial. They trap air, lighten texture, prevent heaviness.
4. Chilling dough and peanut butter disks is a repeat lesson—museum smooth cookies flop without this patience.
5. Pay attention to cookie edges—firm but not hard is the sign, centers slightly soft means chewy insides when cooled.
6. Adding instant coffee gives bitter backbone without bitterness.
7. Oven temperatures vary; lower temp and longer time preferred here for gentle rise and uniform bake.