candy

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pretzels

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I love, love, LOVE white chocolate pretzels. My mom’s cousin (my Aunt Alice) used to make them growing up and it was a treat to get a tin of those during the holidays. Hers weren’t only delicious, but they looked great, too! She made chocolate-covered pretzels also, and while I love those, the white chocolate are my absolute favorite.

So when I found myself in Michaels with my daughter a few weeks ago and I sporadically picked up some orange candy melts, I knew I had to make some festive Halloween pretzels. This turned into a fun kid-friendly activity that I enjoyed with LM! Since she broke her arm, we’ve found ourselves with a few free evenings that we would have usually been at soccer practice, cross-country, or another activity – so on of those evenings, we opted for this activity! They didn’t turn out as professional-looking as I would’ve liked, but when a 6-year-old and I bake, it’s mostly about having fun (and enjoying the fruits of our labor). 

white chocolate pumpkin pretzelswhite chocolate pumpkin pretzels

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pretzels

Here’s what you need

Here’s what you do:

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  2. Melt chocolate according to directions. I placed mine in a glass Pyrex and melted it in the microwave on 50% power for 1 minute, then stirred it and melted it again for another 1-2 minutes and stirred again. Do not overheat or the chocolate may seize.  
  3. When chocolate is melted, dip each pretzel into the chocolate, tapping the edge of the bowl to release the extra chocolate.
  4. When pretzel is fully covered, lay it down on the foil and then place an M&M at the top of the pretzel so that it looks like the stem of a pumpkin. Repeat until you run out of chocolate.  Mine made about 30 pretzels, but we ate a few along the way 🙂
  5. Let cool/dry completely. I put mine in the fridge to speed up the process.

Screenshot 2024-10-07 160816

Some questions for you:

  • Do you like chocolate covered pretzels?
  • What would you have made with a surplus of orange melting chocolate?

Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Fun fact – back in my PR agency days, we had to come up with creative ways to say “Super Bowl.” We could never use the terminology Super Bowl when promoting any specials/promotions/deals, etc. Because of the NFL’s strict trademark rules, we had to say things like, “The Big Game” or “Sunday’s Game” or “Game Night,” etc.  So if you’re ever watching a TV ad or seeing a company tweet about their “Game Day Special” that’s why they’re not saying Super Bowl or even a team name.

Anyway, I digress. But as you’re getting ready for the Big Game – and looking for a treat to make to bring with you, here’s a fun idea!

I love buckeyes. I love anything peanut butter and chocolate. So if you’re wondering what I’m making to bring to this weekend’s festivities, in addition to Donna Kelce’s chocolate chip cookies, I’ll be sharing these delicious treats – football-shaped buckeyes!

If you’re not from the Midwest, haven’t ever lived in the Midwest, or not a big candy person, you may not know what a buckeye is — here’s a full buckeye recipe and explanation.  This recipe expands upon that to make something football themed. It’s tasty and fun to make!
buckeye footballs

Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

Here’s what you need:

For the peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

For the outer layer”

  • 1 12-oz package of semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon of Crisco or shortening
  • White frosting or icing– I used about 1/3-1/2 tube of Betty Crocker white decorating tube icing – you can also make your own white icing, but I went the easy way and this was perfect with the #5 decorating tip

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, and then pinch the sides to make the ball into a football shape.
    4. Place each peanut butter football on the pan and then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. When firm, it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl. I recommend checking the chocolate every 30 minutes and stirring. It’s done when the chocolate looks *almost* all melted – you should then remove from microwave and be able to stir until smooth.
    6. Remove the peanut butter footballs from freezer. Dip each football into the melted chocolate until fully covered. I placed mine on a small fork but they also sell chocolate dippers. Return the chocolate-covered football to the wax paper/foil and repeat until all are covered.
    7. When chocolate is set, you can add the laces. Using your white icing, draw the laces onto the footballs.
    8. Refrigerate for 30 min to one hour to set completely. Enjoy!

I want to know – have you heard of a Buckeye as a dessert before?

Do you love peanut butter and chocolate like I do?

Any other football-themed desserts you enjoy?

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Homemade Buckeyes

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

Each year for B’s  birthday I make him a favorite treat, Buckeyes.

What are Buckeyes?

If you had asked me a few years ago, I would’ve just looked at you crazily. Buckeyes? I have no idea? I would’ve said.

Now, being an Ohioan for five years (can you believe that?) – of course I know what Buckeyes are! Not only do I know what they are – but I LOVE eating them and making them! Peanut butter? PLUS chocolate? How could they go wrong? So to all my East Coast and West Coast friends  and family – Buckeyes are basically a glorified and homemade peanut butter cup that are made to look like the state tree of Ohio’s “fruit/nut” and are super delicious. You know Reese’s peanut butter cups and how you always wish there was more peanut butter? Well, these are what you need. Check out that peanut butter to chocolate ratio:

actual homemade buckeyes

So each year, sometime around September 13 (B’s birthday) … or a month later if I’ve been busy … I cook (without the oven, of course) up some Buckeyes and B is a happy camper. And now, you too, can make some perfect Buckeyes – oven free – with this recipe:

Perfect Homemade Buckeyes

Here’s what you need:

For the amazing peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (approx. 390 grams)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (480 grams)

For the chocolate outer coating:

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2ish tablespoons of Crisco or shortening

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, about one inch or 2 tsp wide.
    4. Place on prepared pan, and place peanut butter dough balls in refrigerator for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. Now it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir occasionally until smooth.
    6. Time to coat the Buckeyes! Remove  peanut butter balls from freezer. Insert a toothpick into a ball, and dip into the melted chocolate chip/Crisco mixture. Return to wax paper or aluminum foil chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.
    7. Refrigerate chocolate coated peanut butter balls (or Buckeyes!) for 30 min to 1 hour to set.

peanut butter chocolate buckeyes