Chocolate covered strawberries but add peanut butter – that’s what these chocolate strawberry shortcakes are all about. Made with both peanut butter and peanut butter whipped cream.

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Usually I reserve 12/31 for the top 10 countdown of the best recipes of the year but with the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes playing #10 Miami Hurricanes tonight in the Cotton Bowl I obviously had to adjust for one last peanut butter chocolate recipe in 2025! I have to admit todays recipe might cause an upset in my personal top 10 that I listed yesterday but hopefully not sending that energy into the game (being an upset, I mean).

While strawberries aren’t really in season right now, the official state cake of Florida is strawberry shortcake so you know I had to keep with my trend from last years successful CFP and make an Ohio State Buckeye version. Afterall, we already know both chocolate and peanut butter pair with strawberry so why not all three? Inspired by my dark chocolate strawberry shortcakes with amaretto cream I came up with these chocolate strawberry shortcakes with peanut butter whipped cream.

You can’t see it, but similar to my peanut butter oreo banana pudding there is a layer of creamy peanut butter underneath the first layer of whipped cream. The peanut butter whipped cream is delicious but I had to make sure the peanut butter flavor was not lacking.

Basically, these chocolate strawberry shortcakes taste like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with fresh strawberry jam but instead of regular bread it’s on chocolate bread and there’s some fluffy whipped cream action going on in as well. Doesn’t sound like a bad time to me at all. Would be a great dessert idea for Valentine’s Day, too.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

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Yield: Serves 6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 17 Minutes 17 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

SHORTCAKES

• 2/3 cup 2% milk
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted cold butter, chopped
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 lbs. sliced strawberries, reserving a few for garnish

PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter***

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat (or grease pan well).
2. Place 2/3 cup milk and dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool.
3. Meanwhile, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, and whisk together until combined. Add butter and cut in with fork until crumbly in texture. Slowly add milk and chocolate chip mixture and stir in until just combined.
4. Using an extra large cookie scoop, spoon mixture into 6 large circles onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing.
5. In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and powdered peanut butter and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
6. To assemble, place the bottom slice of the chocolate shortcakes on serving plate then top each with 2 tablespoons of peanut butte, half of the peanut butter whipped cream, and the strawberries; end with the top slice of the shortcake. Top with remaining whipped cream and strawberries if desired. 

Source: Adapted from my Dark Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes and Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Pudding.

No-bake peanut butter buckeye pie is ready for game day! With an oreo crust filled with a fluffy peanut butter and chocolate filling.

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Will today be the day the Buckeyes put and end to the four year winning streak of That Team Up North? I thought for sure it would have been last year but turns out we needed that loss for the kick in the pants to go on and win the National Championship. If that’s the price to pay, honestly, I would pay it every year.

Some people disagree, they would rather beat *ichigan than win a National Championship and I think they are delusional. I also think we would be crazy to fire Day if we don’t beat them today. My Penn State alum husband keeps hoping we will so that they can finally beat us (and maybe scoop him up for themselves). Sometimes you don’t know appreciate you have.

What I do appreciate is having family willing to drive to us for Thanksgiving this year. We typically travel for every holiday and family event and are happy to be there but it can be quite exhausting – especially after a long month at work with a taxing finale and after last years fiasco getting stuck in the Erie snowpocolypse at a strangers house overnight thus missing The Game last year.

To be fair that meant family from Rochester had to drive through Erie but thankfully nothing exciting was happening in Erie this time around. So we had our little gathering with some of my immediate family (sad to not have our CA portion with us) with the usual Thanksgiving suspects on the table but I got a little creative for dessert.

I made three pies for 7 people because why not? First was a date-walnut pie I had made for cookbook club awhile back. second was a masala chai spiced pumpkin pie where I just subbed the pumpkin pie spice for a homemade masala blend. And last but not least was this no-bake buckeye pie! My pumpkin pier loving father actually said the buckeye pie was his favorite.

It’s just like a classic peanut butter pie but I split the filling in half and added a little cocoa powder to one half which was then spooned into the crust to resemble the top of a buckeye nut. Of course I then had to omit the final layer of whipped topping or else you wouldn’t be able to admire the visage of this buckeye pie but feel free to add some to yours when serving.

Thirteen years ago: Onion Ring Topped BBQ Bacon Burgers

Fourteen years ago: Red Velvet Crème Brulee Cupcakes

NO-BAKE BUCKEYE PIE

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Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST*

• 24 chocolate sandwich cookies**, finely crushed (about 2-1/2 cups)
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together with a fork. Press crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. Chill for 30 minutes before filling.
2. In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar until well combined. Divide evenly between two bowls, add cocoa powder to one, and beat until combined. Gently mix in half of the whipped topping into each bowl until thoroughly combined. Spoon chocolate mixture into outside rim of the pie shell, followed by the peanut butter in the center. Using a spatula, smooth mixture in a circular motion to not blend the two, maintaining the appearance of a buckeye.
3. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.

Notes

*Or use a prepared chocolate cookie pie crust. **I used peanut butter creme filled Oreos because why not?

Source: Adapted from my Cookies and Cream Peanut Butter Pie.

No matter how you slice it this buckeye banana bread is a winning combination for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

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Will I ever run out of peanut butter and chocolate recipe ideas? Who knows but today is not that day!

Inspired by my Buckeye Bundt cake, this buckeye banana bread has a chocolate banana bread base and a peanut buttercream cheese filling that when sliced resembles a buckeye. Of course I had to also drizzle the top with peanut butter and mini buckeye candies while I was at it.

I have actually been waiting to make this recipe for over a week as the bananas at the grocery store were all very underripe and it took that long for them to finally ripen enough to make this buckeye banana bread of my dreams. But some dreams are worth waiting for, and banana bread made with underripe bananas is not worth rushing it.

Speaking of waiting, even though banana bread is usually considered a breakfast item, the peanut butter cream cheese filling pushes it into the dessert category in my mind. But no judgement if you cannot wait and want to eat it for breakfast before the game.

Speaking of the game (not to be confused with THE game next week), Ohio State’s last home game of the season is today against Rutgers. Unfortunately two of our star receivers are out but I have a feeling we will do just find in their absence. Sorry Rutgers.

Once todays game is over it is officially the start of Beat *ichigan Week! Which means I have to have something extra special up my sleeve for the last game of the regular season. Especially since family will be in town for the holiday weekend to help us eat it!

Six years ago: Cut Out Sugar Cookies

Eleven years ago: Buckeye Brownie Cookies

Twelve years ago: Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

Thirteen years ago: Individual Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Fourteen years ago: Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup (2011)

Fifteen years ago: Veggie Lasagna

BUCKEYE BANANA BREAD

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Yield: 1 loaf Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

FILLING

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp milk

BREAD

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup mini Buckeye candies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. For the filling: In a medium bowl, blend together the peanut butter filling with a hand mixer until smooth. Scoop the filling into a pastry bag (or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off*). Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas with melted butter and sugars, mixing well. Add the egg and beat well.
4. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix!
5. Spread 3/4 of the batter evenly in prepared pan. Using the pastry bag that has the peanut butter mixture, carefully pipe a thick line of the filling over the center of the chocolate batter. Pour the remaining batter on top.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (but no batter).
7. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Heat peanut butter in a small microwave safe bowl for 10 seconds. Drizzle over cool bread, decorate with mini buckeyes, and let set before slicing and serving.

Notes

*No piping tip necessary as we want a nice big opening.

Source: Adapted from my Banana Peanut Butter Cup Muffins and Buckeye Bundt Cake.

When life hands you chocolate, make peanut butter French silk pie bars – because obviously peanut butter is the logical next step.

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It’s Saturday which means it’s peanut butter chocolate time! I realize that most of my new recipes lately are for #PBchocSat but it’s about all I have time for these days. I have a pretty demanding mouse experiment at work and I barely cook at all as a result. Heck last night I ate Cheetos for dinner. But I digress.

Since it’s pie season I decided to whip up these French silk pie bars with peanut butter layered in. I could have mixed it into the chocolate layer itself but I wanted to make sure you knew there was peanut butter in there just by looking at them.

While I obviously made these for the Ohio State vs UCLA game tonight, these peanut butter French silk pie bars would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving menu. A chocolate pie might not be the most traditional for the holiday but I am not that traditional of a person so I see nothing wrong with it. You should make what you think sounds good!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, some of my family is coming into town for it and I have yet to plan any of the menu yet for the same reason that all I’ve posted lately is peanut butter and chocolate recipes. Do you think they would be okay with a full peanut butter and chocolate coursed menu? I could think of worse things…

PEANUT BUTTER FRENCH SILK PIE BARS

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Yield: 16 Servings Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 3/4 cup finely crushed chocolate graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter**

TOPPING

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper with overhang; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in melted butter until evenly distributed then dump into the prepared baking dish and press into the bottom evenly. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
3. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate, sugar, and butter, whisking constantly until smooth, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir for one minute to cool slightly.
4. Whisk in beaten egg yolk then return to medium-low heat. Continue stirring until mixture starts to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat*.
5. Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice water, stir in heavy cream until incorporated and continue to stir occasionally until filling becomes hard to stir, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer filling to a medium bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and airy, about 2-3 minutes set aside.
7. Spread peanut butter** evenly over the top of the cooled crust, followed by the filling. Place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes or until firm.
8. While the filling sets, prepare the ganache. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and whipping cream. Microwave on high for 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted.
9. Pour ganache over the top of the chilled mousse and spread to cover evenly. Cover and chill for another 30 minutes or overnight until firm.
10. Lift bars out of pan using the parchment paper overhangs. Cut into 16 bars and store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

*Don't worry if it looks slightly curdled. **Microwave the peanut butter for a few seconds to make spreading easier.

Source: Adapted slightly from A Kitchen Addiction.

Chewy peanut butter cookies with Nutella swirled in is an easy and fun way to change up an otherwise classic cookie.

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Not thriving over here but somehow still making my weekly #PBchocSat posts in honor of another Ohio State Buckeyes game! Today it’s against Purdue at the odd time of 1pm – which is my dad’s alma mater.

When talking to my dad yesterday he was not looking forward to the beating that he suspects will occur but Purdue has been a wild card in the past, so you can’t ever discount a team completely. On the flip side, he was born in Ohio so he likes to say when it comes to this game, he can’t lose.

Another thing that can’t lose are these peanut butter cookies with Nutella swirl. Inspired by their cousin fluffernutter cookies, I replaced the marshmallow fluff swirl with chocolate hazelnut spread. Truly one simple substitution results in an entirely different cookie experience but with the same chewy peanut butter cookie base.

These peanut butter cookies with Nutella swirl are not to be confused with my Nutella peanut butter thumbprint cookies which also have a peanut butter cookie base (although a slightly different recipe) but instead of the Nutella baking into the cookies it is dolloped on top for the thumbprint effect.

Could I have added a sprinkle of seas salt on top of these? Absolutely and feel free if you are so inclined. However I recently learned, while subjecting people in my life to blinded chocolate chip cookies tastings of slight variations of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, that the general masses don’t seem to like browned butter or extra salt. But the Taylor & Colledge vanilla extract was a must.

Either way, I am having a hard time not inhaling these cookies in this household of only two people on a weekend without coworkers around to help make them disappear. Here’s hoping emotional eating will not be required today.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH NUTELLA SWIRL

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 50 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp Taylor & Colledge vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy – about 2 minutes.
3. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
4. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold Nutella into the dough, being careful to mix just enough to still see streaks.
5. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are just starting to brown and centers are set. Let cool on sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from my Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fluff Cookies.

There’s no reason to fear these Graveyard Halloween Brownies unless you are afraid of Reese’s tombstones and mini pumpkins, gummy hands and pumpkins, and candy bones.

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I know graveyard Halloween brownies are not a novel idea but usually they are made with Milano cookies with chocolate RIP lettering added to them. I swapped them out for little tombstone-shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups I found along with some other fun edible decor like mini Reese’s pumpkins, gummy zombie hands, gummy jack-o-lanterns, and candy bones.

Another thing I noticed about most other graveyard brownies was the loose Oreo dirt on top. So instead I added some green frosting to resemble grass and doubled as a sticky surface to which the Oreo dirt would hold onto instead of spilling all over when you take a bite.

While I was on the train of modifications, I also added peanut butter creme Oreos to the brownies. I figured it made sense since I already had two types of peanut butter cups on top to include some more peanut butter action within. You could use regular Oreos, but why when the peanut butter ones exist?

I suppose I could have taken the peanut butter to another level by making peanut butter frosting instead of cream cheese, but I wanted the frosting to be green not brown.

I suppose the real reason these graveyard Halloween brownies are so peanut butter themed is because today is most importantly #PBchocSat! The Ohio State Buckeyes are away today playing Wisconsin and while Halloween is still just under 2 weeks away, our next game against Penn State isn’t until November 1st as we have a bye next weekend. So the buckeye Halloween themed treat, which normally lands for PSU, must be today!

Technically I made these for a friends birthday in September but it’s really never too early to celebrate Halloween in my book. Added bonus that my friends expect this from me at this point and are not phased.

GRAVEYARD HALLOWEEN BROWNIES

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BROWNIES

• 1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix (and ingredients listed on box)
• 1 pkg peanut butter Oreos*, 4 crushed and set aside for topping

TOPPING

• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Green food coloring
• 9 Reese's tombstones
• Pumpkin shaped mini Reese's
• Gummy hands and/or pumpkins
• Candy bones

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees**. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together brownie mix and directed ingredients.
3. Pour half the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with a single layer of Oreos (about 24). Pour remaining brownie batter over the Oreos. Bake for 30-35** minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. While the brownies cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency. Add food coloring and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 
5. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Ateco 826). Pipe small blobs of frosting all over the top of the brownies to resemble patches of grass. 
6. Insert Reese's tombstones over the brownies, sprinkle crushed Oreos over the frosting grass to resemble dirt. Decorate with pumpkin Reese's, gummy hands and pumpkins, candy bones, or other favorite spooky candies. Slice in 24 bars and serve.

Notes

*You can use regular Oreos or other flavors you prefer, but since I was using shaped Reese's to decorate I used the peanut butter creme filled. **Or as directed on the box for a 9x13-inch pan.

Source: Inspired by Your Home Made Healthy.

You only need three ingredients and minimal tools to make these easy chocolate peanut butter cinnamon rolls any day of the week.

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National Cinnamon Roll Day landing on #PBchocSat means it’s time to wake up to the best combo – chocolate peanut butter cinnamon rolls. Our game against Minnesota may be at 7:30pm but that won’t stop me from rousing the Buckeye spirit early.

I have made homemade peanut butter cinnamon rolls with chocolate glaze before, six years ago in fact for The Game against *ichigan so it was time to make something new. However, I was in no mood to make cinnamon rolls from scratch so I am here to share the lazy girl’s version makin a can of cinnamon rolls seem like they are homemade. Another option could have been a cinnamon roll dump cake but maybe next time.

Similar to my baklava cinnamon rolls, you will buy a tube of jumbo cinnamon rolls, unroll the dough, smear peanut butter and Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) over them, roll back up, slice into 5 rolls, and bake! I considered only adding the peanut butter to the filling and the Nutella to the icing, but decided I didn’t want to dirty even one more dish to make this.

All you will need is a surface upon which to unroll the dough, a knife/spoon/offset spatula to spread the peanut butter and Nutella, a sharp knife to cut (unless you are able to split them apart as originally intended), and a pan in which to bake them. And last but not least, a mouth to enjoy them!

EASY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CINNAMON ROLLS

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Yield: 5 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (17.5 oz.) tube Grands Pillsbury cinnamon rolls
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan; set aside.
2. On a clean, lightly floured surface, unroll the cinnamon rolls without separating them. Spread peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut spread evenly over the dough.
3. Tightly roll dough back up, slice into 5 rolls and arrange in prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
5. When cinnamon rolls are done, immediately drizzle icing from the package over the top. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from my Baklava Cinnamon Rolls and slightly from my Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Chocolate Glaze.

Chocolate peanut butter milk is just like chocolate milk but with the nutty flavor of peanuts. Because nothing pairs better with chocolate than peanut butter.

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While this might be a super simple recipe for celebrating the first Big Ten game of the season, today is chocolate milk day and I could not resist taking advantage of that for #PBchocSat by making chocolate peanut butter milk.

While you could definitely make this with chocolate syrup and regular peanut butter, I like how I could control the sweetness by using unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered peanut butter. Added bonus is that regular peanut butter wouldn’t dissolve as easily into milk as powdered peanut butter.

Growing up, and now even as an adult, I have never liked chocolate milk. I’m not much of a plain chocolate fan for most anything. But add some peanut butter into the mix and I am all in. Same goes for this chocolate peanut butter milk – aka Buckeye Milk (but not to be confused with my buckeye milkshake)!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MILK

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Yield: 1 Serving Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups preferred milk*
• 2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder*
• 2-3 tsp honey or agave syrup

Directions

In a large glass** combine the milk, powdered peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Whisk with a milk frother** until combined. Taste and add more sweetener if preferred. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Or use chocolate milk and add powdered peanut butter. **Or pulse in a blender.

Source: Adapted from Foodal.

A Buckeye football skillet cookie starts with a peanut butter cup cookie base, topped with football sugar cookies, and is finished with ice cream and sprinkles.

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Welcome to week 3 of #PBchocSat for the 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Season. After the cupcake of all cupcake games last weekend against Grambling State (70-0) we have another game as a significant favorite over Ohio University – not to be confused with The Ohio State University (this is why THE is a thing).

Somehow it was decided that this game was worthy of a primetime 7:30pm feature but then again it seems like all the actual big games are now at noon. I blame Fox Sports starting “Big Noon Games” back in 2019. The only reason I tolerate it at this point is that I’ve been told the players prefer to play earlier in the day. And it’s safer bike in the daylight wince that’s how I get to and from the games. But I digress.

When I saw the pre-sliced football-shaped Pillsbury sugar cookies at the grocery store I immediately chucked them into my cart. I had no idea what I would ultimately create with them, but I knew I wouldn’t just succumb to baking them as is and letting them be. As if I could ever do that :-P.

In the end I succumbed to a video I saw on Instagram where they were baked on top of a chocolate chip skillet cookie, but of course I didn’t stop there. It’s a homemade peanut butter cup cookie cake base, topped with the football sugar cookies, then finished with scoops of ice cream (peanut butter cup in my case) and scarlet and gray sprinkles. Like my double decker chocolate chip cookies but in a skillet.

Do you need to make your own cookie dough for this buckeye football skillet cookie? No, you could absolutely use a tube of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough. It’s getting topped with refrigerated sugar cookie dough so no judgement. However, since it’s #PBchocSat I needed some peanut butter mixed in there. In fact I put peanut butter in the dough as well as some chopped up mini peanut butter cups.

Granted, I realized while typing this that we live in a new age where they sell all kinds of flavors of cookie dough, and I’m fairly certain peanut butter chocolate chip is an option. Whatever, homemade is better and I don’t have the patience to make my own football sugar cookies so it’s half and half haha.

BUCKEYE FOOTBALL SKILLET COOKIE

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped mini peanut butter cups
• 1 (7.2 oz) package of refrigerated Pillsbury football-shaped sugar cookie dough
• Ice cream and sprinkles, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet (10-inch springform pan). 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture until combined. Stir in chopped peanut butter cups. Dough will be thick and sticky.
4. Spread the cookie dough out evenly into the pan. Top with football-shaped sugar cookies. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before topping with ice cream and sprinkles to enjoy warm.

Source: Adapted from my Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cake, inspired by Life and Sprinkles.

Potato chip buckeyes are a sweet and salty dream. With a creamy peanut butter and crispy bits of potato chip dipped in a chocolate coating.

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The 2025 season of college football starts today, which means it’s #PBchoSat! To kick off, I am starting out strong with this years version of my buckeye peanut butter balls – potato chip buckeyes.

Ohio State plays Texas at home today and you better believe I will be there in person. I’m lucky enough to be friends with a graduate student who not only doesn’t want her tickets, but is married which means she is allowed to buy two sets of tickets at a discounted rate. But I digress.

When I was brainstorming ideas for today I was reflecting on the last time we played them in the CFP earlier this year in January and I made buckeye pecan pie bars inspired by the state nut of Teas – pecans.

This time I found another source of inspiration. Did you know that Frito-Lay is from Texas? I have had potato chip truffles on my general list of things to make for awhile so when I realized I could make them in buckeye form I was sold. Sweet and salty and ready to take on the Longhorns!

I actually brought these to our annual Labor Day neighborhood potluck last night. No matter where allegiances lie (or lack thereof) these potato chip buckeyes were a popular item in the mix. Obviously slightly more appreciated by those in attendance that are Buckeye fans.

Now that we are sufficiently stuffed and ready to go, I hope the home team advantage is real today because we may not be as strong of a team as we were last year. It’s so hard to know with it being the first game of the year. Only time will tell… O-H!

POTATO CHIP BUCKEYES

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Yield: 8 dozen Prep Time: 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 oz. finely crushed crinkle-cut potato chips, plus larger pieces for garnish
• 1 lb. (~4 to 4-1/2 cups) sifted powdered sugar
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate candy coating*
• Wooden toothpicks, preferably round

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter and butter. Add crushed potato chips, then powdered sugar one cup at a time to reach desired consistency, then use hands to form a smooth dough.
3. Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball (or a small cookie scoop). Place on prepared pan, insert a wooden toothpick, and place in the freezer.
4. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or metal/glass bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water). Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.
5. Remove balls from freezer. Dip into melted chocolate leaving a small circle uncovered at the base of the toothpick. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining balls.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Remove toothpicks and if desired, carefully smudge the holes left behind with fingertip.

Notes

*Chocolate chips will not melt as well as candy coating.

Source: Adapted from my Oreo Buckeyes.