Chocolate Peanut Butter Christmas Trees

close up shot of Chocolate Peanut Butter Christmas Trees piled on a plate

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5 from 29 votes

Bring a little bit of extra holiday cheer with these rich and decadent chocolate peanut butter Christmas trees.

Prep Time45

Chill Time1

Total Time1 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Peanut Butter Christmas Trees Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 428kcal

Ingredients

½ cup salted butter melted and cooled
2 cups creamy peanut butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or a combination of semi and milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Drizzle

½ cup milk chocolate chips or pieces
½ cup white chocolate chips or pieces
1 teaspoon shortening, divided in half

Instructions

Line a jelly roll or half sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
Using a hand mixer, beat together melted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar.
Press peanut butter mixture into a sheet pan, spreading to about ½-inch thickness.
Place 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 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 the remnant peanut butter mixture, repress to ½-inch 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 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 the baggy and drizzle in a zigzag motion over chocolate-coated trees. Allow chocolate to set, about 5 minutes.

Video

Notes

The number of finished trees that you end up with will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
The shortening added to the melted chocolate makes it easier for coating and prevents “bloom” on the chocolate (or the discoloration of the chocolate surface). It also makes it soft and will melt or imprint easily if touched.
You can reheat chocolate in short bursts to keep it smooth and easy to use for coating the trees.

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