BUCKEYE COOKIES

Buckeye Cookies are made with cocoa, butter, sugar, and peanut butter for the perfect chocolate and peanut butter combo. Each cookie is filled with a creamy peanut butter center for a rich, gooey bite!

Buckeye Cookies are named after Buckeye Balls, which are essentially peanut butter balls dipped in a chocolate coating. Now you can have the same flavor combination in cookie form! Have you ever had soft and gooey peanut butter in the middle of a cookie? I hadn’t either until I tried these and I’m not sure why I had never thought of this before…it’s soooo yummy!

Ingredients in Buckeye Cookies

Peanut Butter Filling

Peanut butter (1 ¼ cups) forms the rich, creamy base of the filling, giving Buckeye Cookies their signature smooth and nutty center.

Powdered sugar (⅓ cup) sweetens and slightly firms the peanut butter filling so it can be shaped into balls and stay intact during baking.

Chocolate Cookie

Butter (¾ cup, softened) adds richness and moisture to the cookie dough, creating a soft, tender texture.

Granulated sugar (½ cup) sweetens the dough and helps create light crisp edges and structure.

Brown sugar (¾ cup) adds moisture, chewiness, and a deeper caramel-like flavor to the chocolate cookies.

Egg (1 large) binds the dough together and contributes to a soft, structured cookie.

Vanilla extract (1 tsp) enhances the overall flavor with warm, sweet notes that complement the chocolate and peanut butter.

All-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups) provides structure and stability for the cookie dough.

Unsweetened cocoa powder (¾ cup) gives the cookies their rich chocolate flavor and deep color.

Baking soda (¾ tsp) helps the cookies rise and spread for a soft, tender texture.

Salt (½ tsp) balances sweetness and enhances the chocolate and peanut butter flavors.

Tips & Tricks for making Buckeye Brownie Cookies

• Freeze the Peanut Butter Filling Thoroughly– Keep the peanut butter filling balls fully frozen before assembling the cookies—this is what keeps them from melting into the dough and turning messy during shaping and baking. If they start to soften, return them to the freezer so the cookies stay easy to wrap and seal.
• Work in Small Batches While Assembling– Work in batches when assembling the cookies, leaving most of the peanut butter centers in the freezer while you shape each cookie. This prevents the filling from getting too soft and makes it much easier to completely enclose without leaks.
• Fully Seal and Smooth the Dough Around the Filling– Seal the dough tightly around the filling and re-roll each cookie into a smooth ball so no peanut butter is exposed. Any gaps or thin spots can cause filling to ooze out while baking.
• Avoid Overbaking for a Soft, Gooey Center– Don’t overbake—pull the cookies when the edges are just set, even if the centers look slightly soft. They continue to firm up as they cool while staying chewy and keeping that gooey peanut butter center.

How long are these chocolate peanut butter cookies good for?

These Buckeye Cookies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3–4 days, staying soft and chewy, especially if they’re stored away from heat or humidity. For longer storage, they can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, though the texture will be slightly firmer when chilled.

Freezing is also highly recommended for longer storage. Once baked and fully cooled, freeze the cookies in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2–3 months. You can thaw them at room temperature, or warm briefly in the microwave to bring back that soft, gooey texture.

Buckeye Cookies

Buckeye Cookies are made with cocoa, butter, sugar, and peanut butter for the perfect chocolate and peanut butter combo. Each cookie is filled with a creamy peanut butter center for a rich, gooey bite!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buckeye cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 cookies

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

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Ingredients 

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Peanut Butter Filling

• 1 ¼ cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate Cookie

• ¾ cup butter softened to room temperature
• ½ cup sugar plus more for dipping
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

• Make the peanut butter filling. Stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the filling onto a plate or cookie sheet lined with wax paper. You should be able to make about 20-22 balls. Place in freezer for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350° while the filling is in the freezer.
• While the peanut butter balls are freezing, make the cookie dough. Cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, continue to mix for 1-2 more minutes. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and continue to mix until smooth.
• Scoop out a heaping tablespoonful of cookie dough (I used a medium cookie scoop or you can just overfill a small one) and flatten it out between your hands like a pancake. Place a frozen peanut butter ball on top and then fold up the edges of the cookie until the peanut butter ball is completely covered. If it doesn’t look like a ball at this point, roll it between your palms to form a ball. (Unless you have a couple of people making these, you’ll want to keep at least half of the peanut butter balls in the freezer when you first begin, and then work quickly so that the peanut butter doesn’t start thawing as you are assembling the cookies- the process gets a lot messier once it starts to thaw out!)
• Place some sugar in a shallow bowl and gently roll the cookie ball in the sugar until coated on all sides. The sugar will help prevent the balls from sticking to the cookie sheets, makes the cookies prettier, and adds a nice little texture to the cookies as well!
• Place the cookie balls at least 2″ apart on a prepared cookie sheet. You can use well-greased cookie sheets or you can use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. I prefer the silicone baking mats because nothing sticks to them!
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes. I usually stick to the lower end of baking times on cookies because I like them really soft, but if you like them a little bit firmer and well-done, you can bake them a minute or two longer.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for about 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. These cookies are delicious warm, but the peanut butter filling stays gooey even when they are completely cooled and up to a few days later as well. Enjoy!

Notes

These Buckeye Cookies will stay soft and chewy in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

For longer storage, freeze fully cooled cookies for up to 2–3 months, then thaw at room temperature or warm briefly to restore that gooey texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

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Can I make Buckeye Cookies ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the peanut butter filling and cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours, or freeze the filling balls for easier assembly later.

Why is my peanut butter filling melting or leaking out?

This usually happens if the filling wasn’t frozen long enough or if the cookie dough didn’t fully seal around it—make sure the peanut butter balls are solid and completely enclosed in dough.

Can I use natural peanut butter for the filling?

It’s not recommended, since natural peanut butter is usually too soft and oily, which can cause the filling to lose shape and leak during baking.

Do I have to roll the cookies in sugar before baking?

The sugar coating is optional, but it helps prevent sticking, adds a light crunch, and gives the cookies a pretty finished look.

Try more delicious Peanut Butter Cookie recipes here:

• Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies are ultra soft and chewy with rich peanut butter flavor in every bite, plus Reese’s Pieces for a sweet, crunchy finish.
• Loaded with chunks of Reese’s peanut butter cups, every bite of these Reese’s Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies is packed with creamy, chocolatey goodness.
• Our Fudge Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are bite-sized peanut butter cookies baked in a mini muffin pan and filled with rich, silky chocolate fudge for the ultimate sweet-and-salty treat.
• These Easy Peanut Butter Cookies are the kind of quick fix you make when a sweet craving hits—simple, fast, and gone almost as soon as they hit the plate.
• If you’re craving something that tastes like a peanut butter cup in cookie form, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies hit the spot—soft, fudgy, and ridiculously easy to make!

Buckeye Cookies are made with simple pantry staples like cocoa powder, butter, sugar, and peanut butter for the ultimate chocolate and peanut butter combination. Each soft chocolate cookie is filled with a creamy peanut butter center for a rich, gooey bite in every mouthful.