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–+ servings
A stack of Chocolate Peanut Butter Trees on a plate, drizled with white and milk chocolate.
5 from 3 votes
Created by: Stefanie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Christmas Trees


Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
24
Chocolate Peanut Butter Christmas Trees take your love of chocolate and peanut butter and forms it into an adorable and festive Tree shape! Enjoy one after another or gift to your friends for them to enjoy!
24

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Filling

  • ½ cup salted butter melted and cooled
  • 2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Coating

  • 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or half of milk chocolate and half of semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons shortening

Drizzle

  • ½ cup milk chocolate chips or small pieces
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips or small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon shortening divided

Instructions

  • Line a jelly roll or half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together melted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
  • Beat the powdered sugar into the peanut butter mixture.
  • Transfer the peanut butter mixture (it will be crumbly) into the prepared jelly roll pan.
  • Press the mixture down into the sheet pan - spreading it to about ½" thickness. Place the sheet pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • Lift the parchment paper to remove the chilled peanut butter layer from the pan. Place a new sheet of parchment paper on the pan.
  • Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out ½” thick Christmas tree shapes from the chilled peanut butter layer.
  • Place cutouts on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Freeze for 30 minutes.
  • Scoop up remnant peanut butter mixture, repress to ½” thickness and cut out additional shapes.
  • After cutouts have chilled for 25 minutes, prepare the chocolate coating.
  • Combine milk chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of shortening in a heatproof bowl.
  • Heat and stir in 30-second increments in the microwave until the chocolate is smooth and melted completely.
  • Using a fork, lift one peanut butter cutout at a time and coat it completely with the melted chocolate. Tap excess chocolate off of the cutout and place it back onto the cookie sheet.
  • Work in batches if the peanut butter cutout becomes soft quickly.
  • Allow chocolate to harden.
  • For optional drizzle, microwave chocolate chips or chopped pieces and shortening (½ teaspoon per ½ cup) in 30 second increments until melted and smooth.
  • Scoop melted chocolate into a plastic baggy or piping bag. Snip a tiny corner off of the baggy and drizzle in a zig zag motion over chocolate coated trees. Allow chocolate to set (about 5 minutes).
  • Cover and store on countertop or in refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months, but note that discoloration of the chocolate may occur. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

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Notes

  • Feel free to change up the chocolate coating or drizzle as you wish for these chocolate coated Christmas trees. For instance, you could use white chocolate with some food coloring as the drizzle, making your Christmas trees represent tinsel!
  • The shortening added to the melted chocolate makes it easier when it comes to coating your Christmas trees. It also helps to prevent the “bloom” (or discoloration) on the chocolate when stored and makes the chocolate soft for that melt-in-your-mouth experience!
  • You can reheat chocolate in short bursts to keep it smooth and easy to use for coating the trees.
  • If you would like to use candy molds to make these, you will want to coat the inside of the molds with the melted chocolate and then choose the size of your cookie cutter so that the trees are a bit smaller and can nestle inside the molds. Coat with more chocolate and then pop the whole mold into the fridge to firm up. Firm trees will easily pop out of the molds. You can even use the freezer to get your candies extra cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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