Buckeye Bites

Buckeye Bites

Cookie Base

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

Filling

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla paste

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon peanut butter

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 36 mini muffin cups with mini foil candy cups (about 1 1/4 inch). In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until dough forms. Press about 1 tablespoon dough into each foil cup. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until puffy and set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove from pan.

In small bowl, mix filling ingredients until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon mixture on top of each cooled cookie.

In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cooled. Spread about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture over each cookie cup.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 to 60 seconds or until softened; knead to mix. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate mixture over each cookie cup. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 36 cookie cups