Peanut Butter Easter Chicks

Peanut Butter Easter Chicks

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp. salted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/4 c. marshmallow cream
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 package vanilla candiquik, melted
• 2 tsp. shortening
• yellow gel food coloring
• 1/4 c. orange candy melts
• 2 large marshmallows
• pink sprinkles
• 8 mini twist pretzels
• 4 googly eyes
• 2 mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. In mixing bowl, cream butter, vanilla, peanut butter, and marshmallow cream until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the sugar. Shape into 2 large eggs. Place on wax paper and refrigerate.
2. Melt orange candy melts in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Dip 4 pretzels in the orange chocolate. Use a fork to place on wax paper to set up. Scoop the rest of the orange chocolate into a plastic baggie. Cut the end off and carefully pipe 2 orange triangles for beaks. Set the pretzels and beaks aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the vanilla candiquik. Stir until smooth. Stir in shortening and yellow gel color. Add the gel color slowly until you get the shade of yellow that you like. Pour the melted chocolate into a shallow bowl. Place one peanut butter egg into the chocolate and spoon the chocolate over the top until coated. Using a small spatula, remove the peanut butter egg and tap off the excess chocolate. Place on wax paper lined plate. Refrigerate until set. Dip 4 pretzels in the yellow chocolate and let set. Place a spoonful of yellow chocolate into a plastic bag and cut the tip off. Pipe a small patch of yellow hair.
4. While the chocolate is setting, cut the marshmallow in half diagonally and dip the sticky edge into pink sprinkles. Place 2 orange pretzels side by side. Add a dab of yellow chocolate on the bottom of the egg and stand it up on the pretzels. Use a toothpick to add chocolate to the backs of the googly eyes and place on chicks face. Do the same for the beak. Dip the bottoms of the marshmallow ears in the yellow chocolate and set on top of the egg. Hold in place for a few seconds so they don’t slide off. Dip the end of the patch of yellow hair into the yellow chocolate and put in between the ears. Cut 2 small pieces off the mini marshmallows and add to the sides of the chick so it looks like a headband. Dip the edges of the yellow pretzels in the yellow chocolate and hold on the sides of the egg for a few seconds. Keep refrigerated if you aren’t going to eat within a day or two.