Brownie Buckeye Cookies Recipe
Last Updated on July 13, 2026 by Janell
If you love the classic combination of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter, these Brownie Buckeye Cookies are about to become your new favorite treat. They taste just like traditional buckeye candies but are so much easier to make.
Every year, I bake a lot of holiday treats, but I try to make something unique each season. I love the flavor of traditional buckeyes; I dread the messy process of dipping individual peanut butter balls into melted chocolate.
That’s where this genius baking hack comes in! By using a boxed brownie mix as the base, you get a deeply rich, fudgy chocolate cookie that perfectly holds a sweet peanut butter center. It gives you all that classic buckeye flavor without the sticky mess.
Fair warning: This recipe only makes about 30 cookies, so if you're taking them to a holiday cookie exchange, you’ll definitely want to double or triple the batch!
I have made cookies from cake mixes before, so I thought, why not try it with a brownie? It has a richer chocolate flavor and is the perfect base for this cookie. I mean, you can't really go wrong when you combine chocolate and peanut butter.
Why You’ll Love This Boxed Brownie Mix Hack
- Maximum Chocolate Flavor: Using a brownie mix instead of a standard cake mix or cookie dough results in a denser, fudgier, and richer chocolate base.
- No Messy Dipping: Instead of submerging individual balls in chocolate, you just spoon a quick dollop of melted chocolate right on top.
- Perfect for Holiday Baking: They look impressive on a Christmas cookie platter but take a fraction of the time to make.
Brownie Buckeye Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box family sized box, fudge brownie mix (9x13 size)
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate topping
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350* degrees. In a stand up mixer, beat the brownie mix, butter, cream cheese, and egg. (You can do this by hand but it's a workout!) The dough will be a thick.
Scoop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for the cookies for about 11 minutes. You don't want to overcook them, so pay attention.
While the cookies are baking, make the peanut butter mixture. Mix the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until it is completely combined. (A stand up mixer is better for this too but you can handle it by hand!) Form the mixture into about 1 inch balls, flatten it and set aside.
When the cookies come out of the oven, press a peanut butter ball lightly into the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool for about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack or I also like to use paper towels.
In a bowl, microwave 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat for 45 seconds on 50% power and stir the chocolate. Reheat in 30-second increments at 50% power and stir it until the chocolate is completely melted.
Spoon a dollop of melted chocolate onto each cookie to cover the peanut butter ball. Let the chocolate set and enjoy
This is a really easy way to get the taste of a buckeye without getting chocolate everywhere!
Brownie Buckeye Cookies Recipe
The ultimate shortcut to a classic holiday favorite! These Brownie Buckeye Cookies feature a rich, fudgy chocolate brownie base topped with a creamy peanut butter center and a smooth dollop of melted chocolate. All the flavor of traditional buckeyes with none of the messy dipping!
Ingredients
Brownie Cookie
- 1 box family sized box, fudge brownie mix (9x13 size)
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
Peanut Butter Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350* degrees. In a stand up mixer, beat the brownie mix, butter, cream cheese, and egg. (You can do this by hand but it's a workout!) The dough will be a thick.
- Scoop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for the cookies for about 11 minutes. You don't want to overcook them so pay attention.
- While the cookies are baking, make the peanut butter mixture. Mix the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until it is completely combined. (A stand up mixer is better for this too but you can handle it by hand!)
- Form the mixture into about 1 inch balls, flatten it and set aside.When the cookies come out of the oven, press a peanut butter ball lightly into the center of each cookie.
- Let the cookies cool for about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack or I also like to use paper towels.
- In a bowl, microwave 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat for 45 seconds on 50% power and stir the chocolate. Reheat in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir it until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Spoon a dollop of melted chocolate on top of each cookie so it covers the peanut butter ball.
- Let the chocolate set and enjoy
Do you like Brownie Cookies? Check out this recipe for Smores Brownie Cookies!
Are you looking for more recipes? Check out this list!
- Candy Cane Sandwich Cookie + 11 More Christmas Cookie Recipes
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- Brownie Buckeye Cookies {Christmas Cookies}
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- Christmas Tree Brownies
- Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Cookie Gift In A Jar
- 40+ Christmas Cookies - they only have a few ingredients!
- Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Balls
These Brownie Buckeye Cookies look amazing! I definitely want to give these a try.