Description
Peanut Butter Penguins are a delightful no-bake treat featuring Nutter Butter cookies transformed into adorable penguins using melted dark chocolate, peanut butter, and colorful candy decorations. Perfect for holiday parties or fun snacks, these charming cookies combine rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter with playful Reese's Pieces and candy eyes for a whimsical dessert experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Mixture
- 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp salted butter
Cookie Base and Decorations
- 16 ounce package Nutter Butter cookies
- 32 Mini Nilla Wafers
- 64 brown Reese’s pieces
- 48 orange Reese's pieces halved
- 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 microwaving in 10-15 second increments, stirring between each, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- Coat Cookies: Dip a Nutter Butter cookie into the chocolate mixture until fully covered. Use a fork to gently lift and shake off excess chocolate. Place it on a wire rack or cutting board lined with parchment paper.
- Add Stomach: Place a mini Nilla wafer in the center of the bottom half of the coated cookie to create the penguin’s stomach.
- Add Face Features: Attach two candy eyes to the top half of the cookie. Place half of an orange Reese’s piece with the cut side down for the penguin’s nose between the eyes.
- Add Feet: Position two orange Reese’s piece halves, cut side down, horizontally below the mini Nilla wafer to form the penguin’s feet.
- Add Wings: Press two brown Reese’s pieces onto the sides of the cookie just below the indent to form wings.
- Repeat: Repeat the dipping and decorating process with the remaining Nutter Butter cookies to create all 32 peanut butter penguins.
- Chill: Place the decorated cookies on the wire rack or cutting board in the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow the chocolate to set properly.
- Serve: Serve chilled or at room temperature. Note that at room temperature, the chocolate may soften and leave some smears on fingers, but they will remain delicious.
Notes
- Store the penguins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week to keep them fresh and firm.
- Penguins can be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving to maintain texture and flavor.
- Prepare and sort all candy decorations before dipping cookies to streamline the decorating process and avoid mishaps.
- Be careful not to overheat the chocolate mixture; the butter and peanut butter help reduce the risk, but overheating can cause texture issues.
- Use a wire rack for dipping cookies to allow excess chocolate to drip off easily, preventing a mess and ensuring even coating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
