Let's turn this Little Debbie treat into a decadent dessert fit for a fancy chocolate shop!
Nutty Buddies are a prepackaged dessert from Little Debbie, they are a peanut butter filled wafer cookie thinly coated in milk chocolate. I've tried a number of other peanut butter wafer cookies, but they just don't compare to the texture and taste of the Nutty Buddy filling. My main complaint about these is that their chocolate coating leaves a lot to be desired. It's not very flavorful, and that's likely due to how thin the chocolate layer is. I decided to see how'd they turn out with a better chocolate coating, and now I can never go back to eating them plain!
If you're a lover of peanut butter and chocolate, or salty sweets in general, this recipe is for you! It's so easy to transform these into an incredible (and actually pretty fancy) dessert, with only a few ingredients!
Key Tips - Dark Chocolate Coated Nutty Buddies
Use baker's chocolate!
- I cannot stress this enough, baker's chocolate is so much easier to work with than melting down other types of chocolate like chocolate chips. Other kinds of chocolate may seize up and change texture, bakers chocolate will stay silky smooth when melted. It's worth it to pay a few extra dollars to save this headache!
- I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao bars for this (and all my dark chocolate coating). It melts so well and stays silky seemingly forever when melted. I stock up whenever my grocery store runs a sale on these!
Create a make-shift double boiler if needed.
- Melting chocolate in a double boiler is the most stress-free way to keep your chocolate nice and melted as you work through coating each piece. If you don't have a double boiler, you can make your own by placing a metal mixing bowl over a stockpot. Check out this article for some tips!
Freeze your Nutty Buddies (don't skip this step).
- If you try coating a room temperature nutty buddy with hot chocolate, you're going to run into issues (trust me, I did this). The hot chocolate will heat up the Nutty Buddy, causing the existing chocolate layer to melt into your dipping chocolate (not ideal), the peanut butter filling will become melty and the wafers will start to slide apart as you move it around.
- Avoid all those issues by tossing the package of Nutty Buddies in the freezer at least a few hours before you get started on this. The twin-wrapped pairs may stick together once frozen, but after a minute or two on the counter they should separate cleanly, and you can get to coating.
Optionally, cut Nutty Buddies in half before coating, for smaller pieces.
- Most of the images in this post are from a batch where full size bars were coated, but you can also cut the Nutty Buddies in half and then coat them, for smaller servings. I didn't need any extra chocolate for the half-sized bars. See picture below!
Dietary Restrictions - Dark Chocolate Coated Nutty Buddies
This dish is naturally Vegetarian
- Please note, Nutty Buddies contain egg white, making this recipe not vegan. Additionally, many (but not all) dark chocolate bars contain milk solids, including the brand I recommend here.
A Note On Serving Sizes
I've listed the serving size as one full size bar, which is ~250 calories. This is a pretty rich dessert, so many people may want a smaller portion than that. If serving to guests, consider cutting the pieces in halves or thirds. If desired, you can cut the bars in half before coating in chocolate to create smaller bars.
Dark Chocolate Coated Nutty Buddies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 Little Debbie Nutty Buddy wafer cookies 1 standard package
- 8 oz dark baker’s chocolate I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao bars
- Flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- Place the Little Debbie Nutty Buddy box in the freezer at least a few hours before preparing (I typically do this the night before I plan to make them). Begin with frozen bars. If the twin wrapped bars are frozen together, allow them to warm up on the counter for a few minutes, then they should be easy to separate. Optionally, cut the bars in half to create smaller pieces (see Key Tips section for reference).
- Prepare simmering water in the lower portion of a double boiler. Break the chocolate up into pieces and place it in the top of the double boiler. Mix frequently with a small silicon spatula until fully melted.
- Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- Remove the bars from the freezer 1 to 2 at a time and coat in a thin layer of chocolate. My recommended technique: Use a fork to support the underside of the bar as you dip it into the melted chocolate. Use a silicon spatula in your other hand to make sure the bar is fully coated. Lift the bar above the chocolate using the fork and allow excess chocolate to drip off, gently scraping off excess chocolate with the silicon spatula. Place the coated bar on the prepared baking sheet, then continue until all the bars are coated.
- Optionally - drizzle extra chocolate over the bars for a more aesthetic look. For this to work, the original chocolate coating must be set. You can place the coated bars in the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate faster (I use the freezer). Scoop up the remaining melted chocolate using a spoon or spatula and drizzle it over the top of the bars as pictured.
- When the chocolate is mostly set, top with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Serve bars at room temp, fridge temp, or frozen. Store in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge. To store long term, freeze the bars on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet so they are not touching. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe zip bag.
Notes
Nutrition
Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Jenna says
Saw this and had to try them! Got the stuff and made them yesterday and they are soooo good!! Didn’t do the salt on top since I didn’t have any but I might try to get that for next time. Will totally do this again, so easy!!
Francisco says
Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!