A creamy peanut butter wrapped in rich chocolate, this buckeye candy recipe looks just like Ohio’s infamous buckeye nut that grows on the state tree. This tasty no bake treats starts with peanut butter fudge that is then dipped in chocolate for an easy to make treat that is popular both for the holidays and for football!
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Why We Love Buckeyes
- Creamy Peanut Butter And Chocolate– A creamy peanut butter center wrapped in a chocolate dip. If it is your first time making buckeyes, I can almost guarantee you will see these buckeye balls disappear fast!
- Make Ahead Treat– These peanut butter buckeyes can last in the freezer for a while if stored in a freezer safe container. I will often make buckeyes way ahead of when I need them because they keep so well.
- Traditional Ohio Dessert– This easy buckeye recipe is often made at Christmas in Ohio, but are also made for football game tailgating parties, potlucks and other types of parties.
For more delicious giftable truffles try my delicious peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies, classic fudgy chocolate oreo balls or strawberry shortcake truffles.
Ingredients For Buckeyes
- ½ cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy no stir version, I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter for this recipe. You can use crunchy peanut butter though.
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups chocolate chips about 20 ounces, I use semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 teaspoons coconut oil – vegetable shortening can also be subsituted
What Are Ohio Buckeye Chocolates?
Buckeyes are a peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate, and a really popular dessert both for the holidays and within Ohio. Homemade buckeyes are made often at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but are also given as gifts and brought to potlucks.
The chocolate on a buckeye is dipped around a peanut butter ball on a toothpick, so that a small circle of peanut butter is still showing out the top of the treat.
This treat is similar to how a buckeye nut looks which is what the football team in Ohio is named after. A buckeye nut was named “Buckeye” because the nut looks like “a buck’s eye,” like the eye of a male deer.
Buckeye nuts grow on a buckeye tree and are poisonous to humans, but these chocolate peanut butter “buckeyes” are creamy and delicious.
How To Make Buckeyes
- In a large bowl mix together unsalted butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and mix gently until combined.
- Add one cup powdered sugar, mixing first on the lowest setting and then on medium until combined. Continue adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time until a thick, shaggy dough forms and is easily rolled. If the dough is too sticky you can add more powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time up to a full cup until the dough rolls easily like playdough.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (You can also use wax paper since we won’t be cooking on the paper.) Scoop the dough into one tablespoon portions. I like to use my smallest one tablespoon cookie scoop from my set of three as it makes the process much faster. Roll each ball gently smooth with your hands. Be careful to smooth any lumps, as they can really show in the finished treats.
- Place each peanut butter dough ball on the parchment lined cookie sheet with about an inch of space in between. Add a toothpick firmly into the center of each candy.
- Freeze the pan of buckeyes for at least 30 minutes until solid, but can be left in the freezer overnight.
How To Dip Buckeyes In Chocolate
The dipping process is very specfic for a buckeye. While these are a variation on peanut butter balls, dipping the peanut butter balls carefully will give you the classic buckeye look that makes them a little more special.
- In a microwave safe medium bowl add chocolate chips and coconut oil. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for a minute at half power, then stir. Continue heating the chocolate in thirty second increments until it forms a smooth chocolate sauce, about two minutes.
- Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop the chocolate sauce in the bowl. Dip each of the chilled peanut butter balls into the chocolate sauce in the ice cream scoop. Leave a circle of peanut butter on top showing near the toothpick about the size of a nickel.
- Allow any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then place on the parchment paper.
Peanut Butter Balls Are Too Soft Tip- If the peanut butter balls start becoming too warm or start slipping off of the toothpicks try putting them back in the freezer for a little while to firm up again. The chocolate may need to be melted and re-stirred again once the peanut butter balls have firmed.
- Place the pan in the freezer the buckeyes for at least 15 minutes. Remove the toothpick from each candy. Place a little water into a small bowl and dip your finger into it. Use the water to carefully smooth away the toothpick hole on the top of each buckeye if preferred. Then serve and enjoy.
Toothpick Hole Tip- Some people leave the tiny holes from the toothpicks in the top of the buckeye and don’t smooth out the peanut butter. Sometimes even nicer chocolate shops will leave the toothpick holes. This shows that the treats were made by hand and not by a machine.
Do I Need A Double Boiler
I use a microwave method to melt my chocolate. Find out how to use a double boiler to melt the chocolate with the tips here.
How Do I Temper The Chocolate?
You can temper the chocolate in the microwave with these tips using a candy thermometer which will give you an even more professional-looking treat. Tempering the chocolate gives the chocolate more of a snap, and will make it look shinier which can be especially nice for gifts.
Variation Ideas
Buckeyes are pretty perfect by themselves, at least according to my family! You can mix them up a little though for a little variation.
- Add sprinkles – Decorate with red and green sprinkles for Christmas, or fun colored sprinkles for any holiday. (Or for the big game, red and grey go bucks!) Sprinkles can be added directly after dipping in the chocolate. It can be helpful to have a shallow bowl of sprinkles if you are dipping them in sprinkles over a plate.
- Decorate with nuts– Chopped peanuts look pretty on the outside of buckeyes and go well with the peanut butter.
- Dip in different types of chocolate– I typically use semi-sweet chocolate as it balances really well with the sweet peanut butter center. White chocolate or dark chocolate are tied for second place for me, and also work well with the peanut butter center. Milk chocolate is not my favorite chocolate to dip buckeyes. For me personally, I find that milk chocolate is too sweet when paired with the peanut butter center and it just doesn’t balance the treat as well, but everyone has their own opinion!
Can You Buy Buckeyes In Stores or Resturants?
In Ohio you can buy buckeyes made by popular chocolate companies such as Marsha’s, Fannie May or Anthony Thomas. I’ve also seen them for sale at Cracker Barrel in other states, but mostly they are on shelves in Ohio.
You’ll also find buckeye-themed desserts such as donuts, cakes, brownies, fudge and cookies. It is also common to find peanut butter buckeye-inspired desserts at apple orchards, pumpkin farms and in all kinds of bakeries, ice cream shops and chocolate shops.
Sometimes treats have mini buckeyes either on top or inside, especially at local ice cream shops. As mini buckeyes become more popular, they are being added to menus often in Ohio and are delicious!
What’s Buckeye Ice Cream?
In Ohio you see Buckeye sundaes or buckeye ice cream often available. Ice cream treats are becoming really popular, and always include some kind of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream combination. Ice cream treats sometimes also include mini buckeyes.
How Long Do Buckeyes Last?
Expect buckeyes in the fridge stored in a covered airtight container to last for about a week to taste their freshest.
Can You Freeze Buckeyes?
Buckeyes freeze beautifully and can easily be stored in the freezer for up to two months. Store buckeyes carefully in a freezer in a freezer safe container or zip-top freezer bag. Storing them with layers of freezer paper or parchment paper between them will help them to last longer.
Let buckeyes sit out on the counter to defrost for 10-20 minutes before you enjoy. After removing from the freezer, store any leftover buckeyes in the refrigerator.
Other Recipes You Will Love
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Dip – All the creamy flavors of peanut butter cheesecake topped with chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter cups, but in a creamy dessert dip that can be made fast!
Lemon Golden Oreo Truffles– Sweet lemon flavor in a creamy truffle wrapped in white chocolate.
Peppermint Candy Cane Oreo Cookie Truffles– Chocolate truffles wrapped in white chocolate with peppermint bits, the perfect holiday treat!
Buckeyes
Ingredients
For The Peanut Butter Balls
- ½ cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy no stir version
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
For The Chocolate Dip
- 3 cups chocolate chips about 20 ounces
- 4 teaspoons coconut oil
Love Family Recipes?Follow @OnMyKidsPlate On Pinterest For MoreInstructions
How To Make The Peanut Butter Balls
- In a large bowl mix together butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix gently until combined.
- Add one cup powdered sugar, mixing first on the lowest setting and then on medium until combined. Continue adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time until a thick, shaggy dough forms and it is easily rolled. If the dough is too sticky you can add more powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time up to a full cup until the dough rolls easily like playdough.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into one tablespoon portions. I like to use my smallest one tablespoon cookie scoop from my set of three as it makes the process much faster. Roll each ball gently smooth with your hands. Be careful to smooth any lumps, as they can really show in the finished treats.
- Place each peanut butter dough ball on the parchment lined cookie sheet with about an inch of space in between. Add a toothpick firmly into the center of each candy.
- Freeze the pan of buckeyes for at least 30 minutes until solid, but can be left in the freezer overnight.
How To Dip Buckeyes In Chocolate
- In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips and coconut oil. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for a minute at half power, then stir. Continue heating the chocolate in thirty second increments until it forms a smooth chocolate sauce, about two minutes.
- Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop the chocolate sauce in the bowl. (See notes) Dip each peanut butter ball into the chocolate sauce in the ice cream scoop, leaving a circle of peanut butter on top showing near the toothpick about the size of a nickel. Allow any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, then place on the parchment paper.
- Place the pan in the freezer the buckeyes for at least 15 minutes. Remove the toothpick from each candy. Place a little water into a small bowl and dip your finger into it. Use the water to carefully smooth away the toothpick hole on the top of each buckeye if preferred. Then serve and enjoy.
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