There’s something so delightful about old-fashioned buckeyes peanut butter balls—they’re creamy, chocolatey, and incredibly easy to make. It’s the kind of recipe that feels like a little piece of grandma's kitchen; perfect for sharing with friends or serving at a holiday gathering. And the best part? You don’t even have to turn on the oven.
First published December 12, 2023. Last updated December 16, 2024 for better instructional images and readability.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat buckeyes peanut butter balls
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Buckeyes Peanut Butter Balls
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- We love classic chocolate and peanut butter combinations plus this candy is just so easy to make that it's hard to turn it down!
- Homemade buckeyes make great gifts around the holidays but they're perfect for an anytime treat, too.
- Using a small cookie scoop to form the candy ensures all the peanut butter balls are the same size.
With a creamy peanut butter ball middle and sweet chocolate shell, these fun homemade candies taste just like a peanut butter cup.
This simple buckeye recipe makes a rich, decadent snack in practically no time at all—and they disappear even faster than that!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- You can substitute the dark chocolate chips with milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, or bittersweet chocolate if you want your buckeyes to be sweeter.
- You can use all chocolate chips in place of the candy melts, but it will be a little harder to dip the peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate.
- If you don’t have unsalted butter, feel free to use salted butter and omit the extra salt.
- You can use all granulated sugar instead of part brown sugar. I like the hint of caramel flavor that the brown sugar adds to the buckeyes, though.
- The coconut oil is optional since you only need it if your chocolate is too thick. Shortening will work in its place, too, if you have it.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
You'll need to insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of each peanut butter ball so they’re easy to dip in the melted chocolate. Then, you'll use a butter knife or frosting spatula to smooth over the toothpick holes.
Cream peanut butter, unsalted butter, salt, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
Form the peanut butter mixture into 1-½ inch balls and chill on a lined cookie sheet.
Dip chilled peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate using a toothpick.
Place balls on the prepared baking sheet and smooth the top of each ball with a butter knife.
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
Hey y'all! Don't forget to check out my latest video where I guide you through each step of this delicious recipe. It's always great to have a visual guide, right? And as always, my cooking show, Restless Chipotle Kitchen, has got your back. If you're looking for more yummy ideas, dive into our full recipe collection on YouTube. You're gonna love it!
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. Otherwise, you won’t be able to cream it with the other ingredients.
- You can use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer to blend the peanut butter filling.
- Feel free to use a small cookie scoop to form the buckeye balls, so they’re all the same size.
- If you need to thin out the melted chocolate, use refined coconut oil so you don’t get a coconut flavor.
- You don’t have to melt chocolate chips and candy melts in a double boiler. It'll melt just fine in the microwave as long as you do it in short intervals and stir often.
- Make sure you leave a small circle of peanut butter exposed—if you cover the entire ball with chocolate, they won’t look like buckeyes!
- Let excess chocolate drip off the peanut butter balls before placing them on the lined cookie sheet so they look nice ‘n neat.
- Line baking sheets with waxed paper or parchment paper so the buckeye balls don’t stick to the pans.
- Don’t store buckeye candies at room temperature—warm peanut butter will separate from the chocolate coating!
Marye's Tip o' the day
If your confectioners’ sugar is clumpy, sift it before adding it to the peanut butter filling. Mix it in gradually, scraping the sides of the bowl often. This will make the buckeye filling taste extra smooth.
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat buckeyes peanut butter balls
Refrigerate your buckeye candy in an airtight container for up to three weeks. I recommend separating each layer of buckeyes with a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper so they don't stick.
To freeze:
Once the melted chocolate is set, freeze the buckeyes in a freezer-safe bag or sealed container for up to three months. Then, thaw frozen peanut butter buckeye balls in the fridge overnight before serving.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up
Sometimes I'll roll the bottoms in chopped peanuts or sprinkles just before the chocolate is completely set.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
The best buckeyes are made with classic creamy peanut butter by brands like Jif or Skippy. Don’t use crunchy peanut butter because buckeye cookies are supposed to be smooth!
Nope! All-natural peanut butter is no good here. The extra oils will make your buckeyes greasy and difficult to shape. If you have to stir it before using it, save it for a sandwich.
If you add the powdered sugar too quickly and don’t incorporate it properly into the peanut butter mixture, the dough will be crumbly and difficult to shape.
Another possible reason is that you accidentally added too much powdered sugar. To fix this, mix in a little extra peanut butter until the filling comes together and is no longer crumbly.
Although peanut butter is the traditional nut butter in a classic buckeye recipe, you can substitute it for almond butter if you’re allergic to peanuts. Just make sure it’s no-stir almond butter without that layer of oil on top.
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Make a double or triple batch of the peanut butter balls and keep them frozen. You'll be able to pull a few out and dip them at a moments notice!
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Making candy is a holiday tradition for many of us - even if we never make it any other time of the year. These oh-so-easy buckeyes are a family favorite - creamy with lots of peanut butter and chocolate flavor.
They're perfect for giving or adding to your dessert table during the holidays.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Old-Fashioned Buckeyes Peanut Butter Balls
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Peanut Butter
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter, do not use natural peanut butter or the kind with oil floating on the top
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Coating
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 2 cup dark chocolate candy melts
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, may use crisco shortening or other light vegetable oil.
Instructions
Peanut Butter
- Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until very smooth and creamy. If you rub a little between your fingers there should be no granules.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar.
- Beat until the mixture holds together and is smooth.
- Roll into 1-½ inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Freeze for 20 minutes. You can also cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Chocolate Coating
- Mix the chocolate chips and candy melts.
- Melt in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring after every interval.
- Continue until the chocolate is creamy and smooth.
- If the chocolate seems too thick you may add a little coconut oil, a teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency. Stir in until completely blended.
- Insert a toothpick into the top of the chilled peanut butter balls.
- Dip it in the chocolate coating leaving a circle of peanut butter at the top that is not covered with chocolate.
- Allow excess chocolate to drizzle off for a few seconds.
- Place it on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Smooth out the hole where the toothpick was with the flat side of a knife.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
-
- Sift powdered sugar if lumpy.
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature.
- If you need to thin out the melted chocolate, use refined coconut oil so you don’t get a coconut flavor.
- You don’t have to melt chocolate chips and candy melts in a double boiler. It'll melt just fine in the microwave as long as you do it in short intervals and stir often.
- Don’t store buckeye candies at room temperature—warm peanut butter will separate from the chocolate coating!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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Buckeyes Peanut Butter Balls
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Evie says
On one of your other candy recipes you mentioned using an old fashioned spinach box; what is that? Perhaps a box to carry spinach
when it's freshly harvested?