Named for their resemblance to the nut of the buckeye tree, these chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls are easy to make at home with very little work using the buckeye recipe that follows.
Video: How to Make Peanut Butter Buckeyes
Discovering Buckeye Candy
Even though I grew up in the Midwest, where Peanut Butter Buckeyes are popular, I was strangely oblivious to them until I moved to California. One day, a co-worker at my day job brought a tray of Buckeyes into the office, and I quickly devoured a few too many, rendering myself relatively useless from the sugar aftershock for the rest of the afternoon. I remember going home and proclaiming my love for this new confection to my partner. He gave me the side eye. “How have you never heard of Buckeyes before?” was his response. Apparently, I have been missing out all my life.
Why Are They Called Buckeyes?
These chocolate-coated rounds of sweetened peanut butter look nearly identical to the nut from a buckeye tree, a tree native to the midwestern United States and the state tree of Ohio. This explains why the peanut butter balls are so popular in Ohio and the surrounding states like Indiana, where my partner is from. The candy looks so much like the nut that, when he was a kid, my partner’s parents would always instruct him, “Now, remember, you can eat these peanut butter ball candies, but don’t eat the actual buckeye nuts on the ground!” To this day, he still remembers that warning and repeats it every time he eats one. Thie Buckeye recipe makes quite a few balls, so my own warning is to limit yourself to eating just a few of these Buckeye balls at a time. Otherwise, you may find yourself falling into the same sugar aftershock that I did when I initially discovered my love for these delicious little peanut butter balls!
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Balls
It may sound fussy, but make sure to sift the powdered sugar into the peanut butter using a strainer or you’ll wind up with clumps in your buckeyes balls.Also, keep in mind that you need to chill the peanut butter balls after forming them, and again after you dip them in the chocolate, so plan accordingly.
Avoid natural peanut butters. Peanut butter balls made with natural peanut butter will end up drier and more crumbly.
How to Store & Freeze Peanut Butter Balls
Store buckeyes in an airtight container or ziplock back in the refrigerator. They should keep for several weeks. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
More Peanut Butter Treats!
Peanut Butter Cookies Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies No Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies
Place on a rimmed baking pan lined with a piece of parchment paper. Repeat until all the peanut butter filling is gone. Skewer each ball with a toothpick; you’ll use this to dip the balls in chocolate later. It’s best to do this now because the balls might be too hard later.
