Peanut Butter Chocolate Christmas Trees take your love of Reese’s peanut butter cups and transform them into adorable Christmas tree treats that can be added to your festive dessert platters or enjoyed throughout the holidays with the family.
3cupssemi-sweet chocolate chipsor half of milk chocolate and half of semi-sweet chocolate
2tablespoonsshortening
Drizzle
½cupmilk chocolate chips or small pieces
½cupwhite chocolate chips or small pieces
1teaspoonshorteningdivided
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.