Buckeyes
These buckeyes have the perfect balance of salty and sweet! They're made with soft peanut butter centers that are dipped in chocolate.
Servings: 26 buckeyes
Calories: 194kcal
Ingredients
Buckeyes
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter 250g
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 85g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 280g
- 1 cup or 8 oz. milk chocolate chips 175g
- 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening or coconut oil 12g
Optional Decorations
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 85g
- Sprinkles
Recommended Tools / Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Large Sheet Tray
- Parchment Paper
- Toothpick or Metal Scribe
- Small Piping Bag
Instructions
Buckeyes
- Cream together 1 cup of peanut butter, 6 Tbsp of butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until smooth and combined.
- Add in 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. The dough should be thick. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Scoop out 1 Tbsp-sized pieces and roll them into balls. If you want to be super precise, each ball should weigh about 24g on a scale.
- Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until they're firm to the touch.
- Once the peanut butter balls are firm to the touch, make the chocolate coating. Add 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp shortening or coconut oil to a small bowl and melt in 20-second intervals in the microwave. Stir between intervals until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Remove the peanut butter balls from the fridge and use a scribe or toothpick to dip each peanut butter ball in the chocolate mixture. I like to gently swirl the peanut butter balls around in the mixture to cover them about 2/3 of the way up in chocolate. Gently scrape the bottom of the balls on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate, then place them back on the baking sheet. If you notice the peanut butter balls begin to soften as you're trying to dip them, pop them back in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes to let them firm up again. This will make them a lot easier to dip!
- Gently press a butter knife or offset spatula over the top of the balls to cover up the holes on top, then place them back in the fridge to chill and let the chocolate firm up.
- If you want to add a little extra pizzaz, I love to place 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips in a small piping bag, melt the chocolate in the microwave, snip a small hole in the bottom of the bag, and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the buckeyes. Then I add a garnish of some colorful sprinkles over the dark chocolate (in this case I used Christmas sprinkles because these were for a holiday party, but rainbow nonpareils would be so cute too!).
Notes
How Many Buckeyes Does this Recipe Make?
One batch of this recipe makes about 26 buckeyes if you use 1 Tbsp of dough per buckeye. I like to say it makes 2 dozen plus a couple for taste testing :) You can make mini buckeyes that are smaller (1 tsp per ball) and will end up with about 80, or jumbo buckeyes (2 Tbsp per ball) and end up with 13 buckeyes.Can I Make These Buckeyes in Advance?
Short answer - yes! These buckeyes can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to a month in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Make sure the buckeyes are chilled and the chocolate has firmed up before stacking them on top of each other in an airtight container or ziplock bag. I also recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers to prevent any of the chocolate from smudging.Tips for Making the Best Buckeyes
- Use creamy, no-stir peanut butter if possible to make the peanut butter centers nice and smooth.
- If you have a 1 Tbsp-sized cookie scoop, use it to easily make uniform-sized buckeyes. You can also use a scale to make sure they all end up the same weight.
- If you notice the peanut butter balls begin to soften as you're trying to dip them, pop them back in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes to let them firm up again. This will make them a lot easier to dip!
- Make sure you scrape off the bottom of the buckeyes on the edge of the bowl once they're dipped to remove any excess chocolate. Otherwise, you'll end up with big chocolate pools around your buckeyes.
- Garnish the buckeyes with a drizzle of dark chocolate and some fun sprinkles to give them a little extra pizazz.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g