Buckeye Brownie Cookies

Buckeye brownie cookies are a gold mine dessert. Sherri Gordon from Cleveland, Ohio (where else can a buckeye dessert come from?), somehow combined not two but three desserts into one outrageously decadent recipe. With the chocolaty flavor and fudgy texture of brownies in a crispy-on-the-outside cookie and an entire peanut butter-chocolate buckeye on top, it’s no wonder this multi-tiered treat was one of the winners of our 2025 cookie exchange.

Before you write off the recipe as too much work, know that the cookies start with a box of brownie mix, and the buckeyes need only four ingredients. These buckeye brownie cookies are easier than they look and are actually a cinch to make. Take them to your next get-together, picnic or tailgate—they might even help you win a cookie exchange.

Ingredients for Buckeye Brownie Cookies

• Peanut butter: Purchase a creamy, no-stir peanut butter for this recipe. Natural peanut butter separates, leaving you with an overly soft buckeye on your cookie. Go for one of the best peanut butter brands at the store—the flavor is important!
• Butter: You’ll need one stick total for this entire cookie recipe. Half the stick (1/4 cup) is softened for the buckeyes, and the other half is melted for the brownie cookies.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Since the buckeyes aren’t baked, they’re sweetened with confectioners’ sugar, which dissolves without heat.
• Brownie mix: Look for a dark chocolate brownie mix at the grocery store and make sure it’s 18.4 ounces. Anything smaller won’t have enough flour for the cookies, making them too soft, but anything bigger will have too much flour, making the cookies tough and dense.
• Cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese to room temperature so it creams easily into the cookie base. We don’t want any cream cheese lumps in the cookies.
• Egg: One egg binds the cookie ingredients together. Bring it to room temperature so it blends into the cookie dough easily.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: Melt the chocolate to create a delicious chocolate topping for the buckeyes. We use the microwave method, but feel free to use the double-boiler method if that’s your preferred technique.

Directions

Step 1: Make the peanut butter mixture

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the peanut butter and softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until no white streaks remain.

Step 2: Scoop and shape into balls

Scoop the peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls, then place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate the peanut butter balls until they’re firm, about 45 minutes.

Step 3: Mix the cookie dough

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the dark chocolate brownie mix, softened cream cheese, melted butter and room-temperature egg until thoroughly combined.

Editor’s Tip: Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.

Step 4: Shape the cookies

Shape the cookie dough into 1-1/2-inch balls, then place them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Step 5: Bake the cookies, then add the peanut butter balls

Bake the cookies until the edges are set, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, then immediately place a peanut butter ball in the center of each cookie. Let the cookies stand on the pans for five minutes, then remove them to wire racks to cool completely.

Editor’s Tip: Bakers, you may be familiar with this step if you’ve made peanut butter blossoms before.

Step 6: Finish with melted chocolate

In a small bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips in 20-second increments until melted, stirring between each increment until the mixture is completely smooth.
Spoon or pipe the melted chocolate, covering the peanut butter centers. Let the melted chocolate set. If desired, decorate with edible glitter.

Recipe Variations

• Try crunchy peanut butter: Love a little texture in your desserts? Swap in crunchy peanut butter for the creamy peanut butter. Just make sure it’s the no-stir kind!
• Add cookie mix-ins: As with any cookie, you can add chocolate chips, toasted nuts or freeze-dried fruits to the cookie dough before shaping and baking.
• Finish with flaky salt: A little sprinkle of flaky salt (like Maldon) adds dimension, making the flavors pop and cutting some of the sugar for a more balanced cookie. It also makes a really pretty, bakery-worthy finish. Add the salt just before the chocolate sets.

How to Store Buckeye Brownie Cookies

Store buckeye brownie cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to one week.

Can you freeze buckeye brownie cookies?

Yes, you can freeze buckeye brownie cookies. After placing the peanut butter balls in the cookies, allow them to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Place pieces of parchment or waxed paper in between each layer to prevent them from sticking. Freeze the cookies for up to two months. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, thaw the cookies at room temperature, then decorate the tops with the melted chocolate.

Buckeye Brownie Cookie Tips

Can you make buckeye brownie cookies with a different type of nut butter?

Yes, you can use a different type of nut butter rather than peanut butter. Almond, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia or pistachio butter would all work well in these cookies. Make sure you buy a no-stir variety, as natural nut butter separates over time.

What is a buckeye?

Besides being a famous cookie from Ohio, a buckeye is a nut from the buckeye tree, a variety native to Ohio. The nut is shiny dark brown with a tan center. Since the buckeye tree is so famous in the Buckeye State, buckeye cookies were created with peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, butter and chocolate to re-create the look of the buckeye nut.

What brownie mix should you use for this recipe?

Use a dark chocolate brownie mix for the deepest, richest chocolaty flavor so the cookies really stand out as part brownie. Or, use a regular brownie mix. If using a regular one, splurge on one of the best brownie mixes from the store. Whichever brownie mix you choose, just make sure the package is 18.4 ounces.