Recipe: No-Bake Groundhog Cookies
In the traditional sense of the word, Groundhog Day isn’t the most “festive” holiday on the calendar. But leave it to Texas to add big fun to a little day about a rodent meteorologist. Not only is our state home to what’s believed to be the second-largest Groundhog Day celebration in the U.S. (besides Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where Phil emerges every year), but some Texans have even rebranded the holiday “Armadillo Day” to account for the Lone Star State’s singular weather patterns.
If you’re looking to join in the fun of creating new Texas traditions for Groundhog Day, our recipe for no-bake chocolate fudge groundhog cookies is a great place to start.
The cookie part of this recipe was my great-grandmother’s recipe that I helped make every Groundhog Day as a kid. The fudge groundhog was added by me as an adult. (Yep, I still make groundhog cookies.) The recipe only takes 15 minutes of prep time and yields 24 groundhog cookies.
Ingredients:
For the groundhogs:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Candy eyes (like these)
White sprinkles
For the groundhog’s mound:
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Materials:
Microwave-safe bowl
Medium pot
6-inch square pan
Wax paper
Method:
To make the groundhogs, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until smooth when stirred. Fold in vanilla, then pour mixture into a square pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Once the fudge has solidified, cut it into 24 squares (they’ll be around 1 by 1 ½ inches). Round the edges of each piece by hand to mold the groundhog, using extra bits of fudge to add ears and a nose. Add candy eyes and use white sprinkles for teeth.
To make the groundhog’s mound, combine sugar, cocoa powder, butter, salt, and milk and mix well. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil for 1 minute. Lower the heat and add rolled oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is cool enough to handle but not too firm. Using a large spoon, drop mounds of the mixture onto wax paper. Let stand until they are cooler but still gooey, about 10 minutes.
To assemble, press a groundhog into the top of each mound, then let stand until completely cool.
If you’re a Texan who celebrates Armadillo Day instead, don’t worry. We have a recipe for that, too.
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