chocolate dipped peeps {what to do with your leftover easter candy}

This week I was helping the Easter Bunny pick out candy for my boys' Easter baskets, and I noticed something I hadn't seen before: dark chocolate covered Peeps. What?! How could I have missed these? Then I saw the price. They were $1 a piece. Or I could get a package of 12 plain Peeps for $1 and dip them myself. Bring on the chocolate chips!

I prefer semi-sweet or dark chocolate to milk, so skipped the dipping chocolate I had and melted 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp. shortening in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. I stirred and kept microwaving in 30 second increments (then stirring) until it was smooth. Then I skewered the Peep bunnies with a sucker stick and ladled the melted chocolate over them until they were covered. When I ran out of sucker sticks, I used barbeque skewers and laid them on wax paper to dry (I removed the skewers after dipping).


Next I tapped the stick on the side of the bowl to smooth out the chocolate and get rid of the excess. Then I place three small pearl sprinklers on to make the eyes and noes (and one on the back for a tail!) and stuck them in a block of Styrofoam or laid them on wax paper until they hardened.



After I ate a couple, I wrapped the rest up in cello bags and tied them with ribbon. I added a punched flower just because I couldn't help myself. :) Such a cute Easter basket stuffer! And WAY yummier than plain old Peeps. (Don't forget to leave me one, Easter Bunny!)