Pam

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cherries

I have no idea how many of these I’ve made over the years, but I know it’s been thousands and thousands. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cherries were always part of pastry tables, added to trays of baking or made extra-large and offered in my pastry showcase.

These are kind of retro, and no matter the crowd, are always one of the most popular items on a pastry table. What are they exactly? Maraschino cherries wrapped in sweetened peanut butter and dipped in chocolate. I like to dress them up a bit with sprinkles, but I’ve also drizzled them with white chocolate, brushed them with luster dust and even made them extra fancy by decorating them with gold-leaf.

You want to use smooth peanut butter for these — none of the natural stuff either. Stick to the peanut butter you grew up with (unless you grew up with chunky natural). If you find the mixture is too soft and hard to shape, mix in a little extra sugar. Add a couple of tablespoons at a time, until it’s easier to work with. But be careful not too add too much. If it’s too dry, it’s even harder to work with.

I use non-dairy chocolate to coat the cherries, making these vegan. You can use any chocolate you like. I also recommend using cherries with stems because they’re easier to dip in chocolate. But I bought two jars of cherries to make these this week and between both jars only 12 cherries had stems attached. So I made the rest without. Instead of holding the cherries by the stem and dipping them in the chocolate, you can carefully drop the cherries into the chocolate one at a time and use two forks to roll them in the chocolate, lift them out and transfer to the tray.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cherries

Maraschino cherries wrapped in sweetened peanut butter and coated in chocolate. Makes 30-36.


Ingredients

  • 30 – 36 maraschino cherries with stems
  • 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioner’s sugar)
  • 200 grams / 10 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks
  • 4 tsp. coconut oil
  • sprinkles for decorating – optional

Directions

  1. Remove cherries from the jar and place on a tray lined with paper towel. Pat the tops of the cherries with more paper towel until the cherries have no excess juice on them.
  2. Place the peanut butter, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and use a paddle to mix until well combined. You can also use a hand-mixer to do this.
  3. Use a small scoop or measuring spoon to scoop out approximately 1 Tbsp. of the peanut butter mixture. Roll it into a ball and flatten slightly into a circle. (If the mixture is too soft for you to work with, mix in a little more sugar.) Place one cherry in the centre of the circle and bring the peanut butter circle up the sides of the cherry, wrapping it completely, with the stem sticking out the top. Gently roll the cherry in your hands, forming a smooth ball. Place the cherry on a parchment-lined tray and continue with the rest.
  4. When they’re all done, place the tray in the freezer for one hour. This will make it easier to dip the cherries in the chocolate.
  5. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
  6. One at a time, dip the cherries in the chocolate, making sure the whole cherry is submerged. Lift the cherry out and let the excess drip off. Place on a parchment-lined tray and lightly sprinkle with the sprinkles if using. Continue until they’re all done. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.
  7. Store the cherries in an air-tight container in the fridge.

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