Peanut Butter Buckeyes Recipe: Step-by-Step

September 9, 2019
With their creamy, sweetened peanut butter centers peeking through a chocolate-dipped bottom, Peanut Butter Buckeyes are hard to resist. ~ These delicious little bites are just loaded with that classic chocolate and peanut butter combination we love so much!  Follow these simple steps to whip up a tasty batch at Christmas time, or anytime that chocolate-peanut butter craving hits.
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Pile of Peanut Butter Buckeyes Image

We all know and love classic Peanut Butter Buckeyes, right?

With their creamy, sweetened peanut butter centers peeking through a chocolate-dipped bottom, these delicious little bites are hard to resist.  It's that classic chocolate and peanut combination we all love so much - and it just pulls us in every time.

These tasty little beauties are usually made around Christmas time, but I say hey - why not enjoy them anytime throughout the year?

With their creamy, sweetened peanut butter centers peeking through a chocolate-dipped bottom, these delicious little bites are hard to resist.

Peanut Butter Buckeyes are modeled after actual buckeyes - a small, shiny nut that comes from the buckeye tree.  The buckeye nut is dark brown with a light tan-colored patch at the top, just like their candy copycats.  Legend has it, carrying a buckeye nut in your pocket is good luck.

Now, I wouldn't recommend carrying a Peanut Butter Buckeye in your pocket and I don't think they'll bring you any luck - but they sure do taste good!

Just follow this step-by-step guide on how to make Buckeyes to whip up a tasty batch at Christmas time, or anytime that chocolate-peanut butter craving hits.

Peanut Butter Buckeyes Dipped in Semi-Sweet Chocolate Image

Step 1: Mix Peanut Butter Dough

Peanut Butter Buckeyes Dough Image

Mix together softened butter, smooth peanut butter, a generous bit of confectioners' sugar, and some vanilla extract until it's all well combined. 

An electric mixer helps make quick work of this step.

The peanut butter dough will be pretty stiff and look dry - but don't worry, that's how it's supposed to be.  It will come together and smooth out when you roll the dough into balls in the next step.


Step 2: Roll Peanut Butter Dough into Balls

Scooping Peanut Butter Buckeyes Dough to Form Balls Image

Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with wax paper.

To roll the peanut butter dough into balls, start by scooping up a small portion of the dough.

I use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon capacity) to scoop out the peanut butter dough for each ball. This helps keep my buckeyes all pretty close to the same size.

Baking Sheet of Peanut Butter Balls to Make Buckeyes Image

Then use your hands to roll each clump of peanut butter dough into a 1-inch ball. Place each of the balls on the wax paper-lined pan.  

Place pan in the freezer and chill the peanut butter balls until they're firm, about 30 minutes.  Having the dough balls chilled and firm makes them much easier to work with when dipping them in the melted chocolate.

Step 3: Melt Chocolate

Small Glass Bowl of Melted Chocolate Image

Combine a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a little dab of shortening in the top of a double boiler or small shallow mixing bowl set over simmering water.  

As much as we sometimes think the double boiler isn't necessary, it's actually pretty important when melting chocolate - It keeps the temperature of the chocolate from getting too high, which can make the chocolate grainy or lead to a dull-looking chocolate coating.

As much as we sometimes think the double boiler isn't necessary, it's actually pretty important when melting chocolate.

Stir the chocolate mixture frequently until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.

The little dab of shortening - not much, just about 2 teaspoons, helps thin the chocolate just a bit.  And this helps create a smoother coating of chocolate on the buckeye.  I add shortening to my melted chocolate any time I'm making something that call for being dipped in chocolate.

And hey, if you'd like, visit my post How to Melt Chocolate: On the Stove & In the Microwave for some more helpful tips on melting chocolate.


Step 4: Dip Peanut Butter Balls in Chocolate

Sticking Wooden Pick Into Peanut Butter Ball to Make Buckeyes Image

Remove melted chocolate from the pot of simmering water, and remove your chilled peanut butter balls from the freezer.

Then, working with one peanut butter ball at a time, stick a wooden pick into the top center of the ball - inserting it about 3/4 of the way in & making sure to not poke through the bottom of the ball.  

Dipping Buckeyes in Melted Chocolate Image
How to Make Buckeyes Image

Hold onto the wooden pick as a "handle" and dip the bottom portion of the peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate, leaving some of the peanut butter exposed at the top.  

Let any excess chocolate drip off back into the melted chocolate.  

Shake it very gently if you need to help remove that extra chocolate.  But be careful to be very gentle - or that buckeye will slip right off that wooden pick and plop into the chocolate bowl.

Place the dipped buckeye back on the wax paper-lined pan and gently remove the wooden pick.

Then repeat this dipping process until all the peanut butter balls have been dipped in chocolate.


Step 5: Let Chocolate Set


How to Make Peanut Butter Buckeyes Image

Pop the dipped buckeyes in the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate is set.  This will only take about 10 to 15 minutes. 


Step 6: Fix Wooden Pick Mark

Fix Wooden Pick Hole After Dipping Buckeyes in Chocolate Image

Then, use your finger to gently smooth over and fix the hole in each buckeye made by the wooden pick.

I always wait until after the chocolate is chilled and set to smooth over and fix the hole - it's way too easy to smudge the chocolate if you try to fix up the hole right after the Buckeyes take their chocolate dip!


While Buckeyes do take a bit of time to prepare because of the rolling and chocolate dipping, they're not difficult at all.

Store the Buckeyes in a sealed container in the refrigerator (or freezer) until you're ready to enjoy them.

That's all there is to whipping up a delicious batch of Peanut Butter Buckeyes!  While they do take a bit of time to prepare because of the rolling and chocolate dipping, they're not difficult at all.

And while they may not bring you luck like the actual buckeye, their creamy sweetened peanut butter centers peeking through that chocolate-dipped bottom sure do taste good!

Baking Sheet of Buckeyes Image
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buckeyes, buckeyes recipe, peanut butter buckeyes recipes, how to make buckeyes
Candy
Yield: about 90-100 pieces

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

With their creamy, sweetened peanut butter centers peeking through a chocolate-dipped bottom, Peanut Butter Buckeyes are hard to resist. ~ These delicious little bites are just loaded with that classic chocolate and peanut butter combination we love so much! Follow these simple steps to whip up a tasty batch at Christmas time, or anytime that chocolate-peanut butter craving hits.
prep time: 1 H & 30 Mcook time: total time: 1 H & 30 M

ingredients:

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2 c. smooth peanut butter
  • 6 c. (about 1 1/2 lbs.) confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 12 oz. ( 2 c.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tsp. shortening (such as Crisco)

instructions:

How to cook Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Mix Peanut Butter Dough & Form Balls:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until well combined. 
  2. Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with wax paper.  Roll the peanut butter dough into 1-inch balls and place the balls on the lined pan.  
  3. Place pan in the freezer and chill the peanut butter balls until firm, about 30 minutes.
Melt Chocolate:
  1. Combine chocolate chips and shortening in the top of a double boiler or small shallow mixing bowl set over simmering water.  
  2. Stir frequently until chocolate chips are melted and smooth.
Dip Peanut Butter Balls in Chocolate:
  1. Remove melted chocolate from the pot of simmering water. Remove peanut butter balls from the freezer.
  2. Working with one peanut butter ball at a time, stick a wooden pick into the ball - inserting it about 3/4 of the way in & making sure to not poke through the bottom of the ball.  
  3. Hold onto the wooden pick as a "handle;" dip the bottom portion of the peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate, leaving some of the peanut butter exposed at the top.  Let any excess chocolate drip off back into the melted chocolate.
  4. Place on the wax paper-lined pan and gently remove the wooden pick.
  5. Repeat until all peanut butter balls have been dipped in chocolate.
  6. Chill the dipped buckeyes until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.  Then use your finger to gently smooth over and fix the hole in each from the wooden pick.
  7. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (or freezer) until serving.
TRACEY'S NOTES
  1. The peanut butter dough will be pretty stiff and look dry - don't worry, that's how it's supposed to be.  It will come together and smooth out when you roll the dough into balls.
  2. I use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon capacity) to scoop out the peanut butter dough for each ball. This helps keep my buckeyes all pretty close to the same size.
  3. See my post How to Melt Chocolate: On the Stove & In the Microwave for helpful tips on melting chocolate.
  4. I always wait until after the chocolate is chilled and set to smooth over and fix the hole in the top of each buckeye - it's way too easy to smudge the chocolate if you try to fix up the hole right after they take their chocolate dip!
Created using The Recipes Generator

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This post is linked with Weekend PotluckMeal Plan Monday.

10 comments

  1. I love Reese's cups, so these treats sound just right for me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My family loves these I hope yours does too. They can't wait to let them cool in the frig. Let us know how they turn out.

      Delete
  2. Growing up in NC and not Ohio we just called them Peanut Butter Balls. Either way I love them! I have pinned this one and the Peanut Butter Pumpkins to make this year. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your Peanut Butter Buckeyes look perfect and will be delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner Party!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can't wait to make these! I'm a huge fan of anything chocolate and peanut butter. I try to avoid crisco. I know 2 tsp is a very small amount but do you you think I could substitute coconut oil or heavy cream instead?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can omit the Crisco or try a little coconut oil; I would not try heavy cream.

      Delete

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