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This recipe was originally published on February 9, 2018.

Chocolate and peanut butter is such an amazing combination, right?  These bite-sized balls of chocolate bliss are just the thing to make for a church potluck, family dinner, Christmas baking, or just for a special snack!  Your family and friends will absolutely love these easy buckeyes.

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What are buckeye candies?

Buckeye candies are a ball of peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate.  They are made to resemble the buckeye nut, which grows in the state of Ohio.

Who invented the buckeye candy?

No one knows who invented buckeyes, although it was most likely invented by a housewife.  Buckeyes probably originated in Ohio, due to their resemblance to the buckeye nut.  People from Ohio are also nicknamed buckeyes.

When were buckeyes invented?

Buckeyes were most likely invented in the 1960s or 1970s in Ohio.

Why are they called buckeye balls?

Buckeye balls are so named because they look like the nut of the buckeye tree.  You’d be surprised with how similar these treats look to the real-life nut!  (Don’t eat the real buckeye nuts, though; they are poisonous.)

How many carbs are in a buckeye?

In this recipe, there are 133 calories and 13.1g of carbs per buckeye.  Most people like to eat two buckeyes, so that would increase the carb count per serving to 26.3g.

How long do buckeyes last in the fridge?

Buckeyes can keep in the fridge for about two weeks, but I doubt that they would last that long!

How long can you freeze buckeyes?

Yes, you absolutely can freeze buckeyes.  Place them in layers an airtight container, separating each layer with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper.  Freeze for up to 1 month.

Defrost in the fridge overnight, or let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

How to Make Buckeyes

Gather the ingredients for the buckeyes.  You’ll need icing sugar, creamy peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsalted butter, salt, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.

Beat the butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt together until smooth.

Sift in half of the icing sugar.

Mix with the paddle attachment until smooth, then sift in the rest of sugar and beat again.  Make sure that you can roll some of the mixture into a ball without it sticking to your hands or falling apart.

Roll the peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls and freeze for 30 minutes.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally.  Add a teaspoon or two of coconut oil if the chocolate is too thick for dipping.

Poke a toothpick into each buckeye and partially dip them in the melted chocolate.  Refrigerate for 1 hour, until the chocolate is fully set.

Now, you can enjoy the buckeyes!  Make sure to store them in the fridge so they don’t melt.

Pro Tips for Making Buckeyes

• Use regular creamy peanut butter.  Do not use natural peanut butter here, as it is too oily.
• Are the peanut butter balls sticky?  Add more icing sugar until you can roll it into a ball.
• Are the peanut butter balls too dry?  Add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter.
• Keep the toothpick from slipping out of the buckeye by poking them into the balls before freezing them.
• Thin the melted chocolate with a teaspoon or two of coconut oil if it is too thick.
• Store the buckeyes in the fridge, as they will tend to get soft and melty at room temperature.

Our Go-To Kitchen Tools for Making Buckeyes

• Wilton 9×13-Inch Cookie Sheet: this small tray can fit easily into the fridge or freezer.
• Parchment Paper: keep the buckeyes from sticking to the pan with this parchment paper.
• Set of 4 Sieves: it’s quick and easy to sift icing sugar with these stainless steel strainers.
• Wooden Toothpicks: it’s easy to dip the buckeyes into the chocolate with these toothpicks.
• Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: this is our favorite brand of chocolate for baking and eating.

Check out these other recipes for peanut butter bliss.

• Soft Peanut Butter Cookies: these delicious cookies are so easy to make.
• No Bake Peanut Butter Pie: this frozen pie is a wonderful sweet treat.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: soft, creamy, and rich, and foolproof to make.

The pleasure of a 5-star review for this buckeye recipe would be greatly appreciated.

Easy Buckeye Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 40 buckeyes 1x

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Description

Easy buckeyes are a simple Christmas candy that is made of creamy peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.  Learn how to make this classic candy with coconut oil, and everyone will eat them up in a flash!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural peanut butter; 414g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 1/4 cups icing sugar, sifted (270g)
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (227g)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (13g)

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Instructions

Making the Peanut Butter Balls (25 min + 30 min freezing)

1. Place the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
2. Sift in half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth, then sift in the remaining sugar and beat again.  Be sure to add enough icing sugar to make the mixture no longer sticky when you roll it into a ball.  If the dough is too dry, add a spoonful or two of peanut butter.
3. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (about 16-18g each) and place on a small parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Freeze the balls for 30 minutes.

Dipping the Buckeyes (20 min + 1 hr chilling)

1. Pour the chocolate chips into a dry stainless steel bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water.  Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
2. Stir the chocolate until it’s fully melted, then take the bowl off the saucepan.  If the chocolate is too thick, stir in a little bit of coconut oil to thin the chocolate.
3. To dip the buckeyes, poke a toothpick into the center of the frozen peanut butter ball.  Dip the ball in the chocolate, leaving the top undipped.  Wipe the excess chocolate off the bottom and set the buckeye on another small parchment-lined cookie sheet.
4. Chill the buckeyes in the fridge until the chocolate is fully set.  Serve chilled, and store in the fridge.

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Notes

• Make this recipe perfectly the first time.  Just scroll up to see our step-by-step photo instructions and read our pro tips for this recipe.
• The pleasure of a 5-star review for this pumpkin roll recipe would be greatly appreciated.
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Want to see our latest recipes?  Subscribe to our email newsletter to get our latest recipes, fun food facts, food puns, and behind the scenes news about our blog.

• Category: Candy
• Method: Chilled
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: buckeye candy, buckeye recipe

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