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Chocolate Peanut Butter Llamas

Chocolate Peanut Butter Llamas

Aly
Reese's Peanut Butter shapes (eggs, trees, pumpkins, etc.) are NOT gluten free. Enjoy making your own version at home for treats all year round. Have fun using different cookie cutters, I just used a llama, because why not?
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Prep Time 1 hr
Freeze Time 1 hr
Total Time 2 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 Dozen Llamas

Equipment

  • Fun Shaped Cookie Cutter
  • 9x13 Baking Dish
  • Parchment Paper
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Sauce Pan
  • Sturdy Wooden Spoon
  • Room in the Freezer 😉
  • Baking Pan(s)
  • Silicon Mat(s) (Optional)

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (See Note(1))
  • ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
  • ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 3-4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 TBSP Heavy Cream or Milk
  • 20-24 oz Chocolate (Chopped or quality baking chips. I used a mix of bittersweet and milk)
  • 1-2 Bags(s) Candy Melts (White, optional)
  • Colored Candy Melts (Decorating, optional)
  • Sprinkles (Decorating, Optional)

Instructions
 

  • Line 9" x 13" baking dish with parchment paper. Cut a piece bigger than the pan so you have extra on each side to pull the frozen mixture up and out of the pan.
  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
  • Once melted, reduce heat to low, and stir in brown sugar and salt until dissolved. Continue to stir and add in peanut butter and vanilla to sauce pan. Once everything is combined, remove from heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, pour in the peanut butter mixture. If it is too hot, let the bowl sit for a few minutes to cool down.
  • Gradually mix in powdered sugar ½ cup at a time and stir until combined with a sturdy wooden spoon. The more sugar(2) added will result in a pale, crumbly mixture. Add heavy cream or milk to help bring the mixture together 1 tbsp at a time.
  • Press the mixture into prepared dish. Smooth the top with spatula or simply press it with your palms to flatten into about ½ inch thick layer.
  • Place it in the freezer until firm enough for cutting, about 10-15 minutes.
  • While the mixture is in the freezer, line a baking tray with parchment paper, or silicon mat, and set aside.
  • Once peanut butter mixture is firm enough to cut, but not rock-solid frozen, remove pan from freezer. Lift parchment paper out of the pan to make cutting easier.
  • Using a llama cookie cutter, or whatever fun shape you'd like(3), cut out the llamas and place them on the lined baking tray. Don't waste any filling! You can reshape the mixture by kneading it together, place the parchment paper and mixture back in the pan, form with palms, and place pan back in the freezer for another 10-15 minutes to firm up the mixture.
  • Place the tray with the cut out llamas in the freezer until firm, again about 10-15 minutes.
  • During the second freeze, melt the chocolate(4) (or candy coating) and line another tray with parchment paper, or silicon mat.
  • Using a fork, or two, dip each llama into the melted chocolate to cover completely. Gently tap the fork(s) to drip off the excess chocolate. (Since the peanut butter mixture softens really fast at the room temperature, I suggest you take just a few llamas at the time from the freezer, because it's easier to dip firm llamas!) Place chocolate covered llamas on the lined tray. Refrigerate until chocolate has set.
  • Have fun decorating your llamas with colored candy melts, royal frosting, and sprinkles. Or simply leave plan and enjoy as is!
  • Store in the fridge, or freezer for longer storage.

Notes

  1. Peanut Butter: When making my second round of llamas, I used half creamy peanut butter and half all natural peanut butter. The results were just as delicious! 
  2. Sugar & Liquids: Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar you use to fit your sweetness level. The mixture becomes EXTREMELY crumbly the more sugar you add, but with some added liquids (milk or heavy cream) it will smooth out.
  3. Quantity: The number of llamas you will get will depend on your cookie cutter. The smaller the shape, the more you will get!
  4. Chocolate: Sometimes it is easier to melt and dip with the candy melts compared to traditional chocolate. Depending on your skill level, and tastes, try candy melts. The more you tap, the more chocolate will drip off your peanut butter llamas; so, if you want a thicker layer of chocolate, don't tap as much.
  • My inspiration came from this post from OMG Chocolate Desserts, but I had to adjust the recipe and make a few tweaks because her recipe wasn't working for me. 
Keyword Gluten Free, Holiday, Peanut Butter