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This Easy Buckeyes Recipe gives you that classic peanut butter center in a smooth dark chocolate shell, and you never have to turn on the oven. I roll the filling, freeze it for a few minutes, then dip each ball so the coating sets up glossy and firm. They’re one of my favorite things to make around the holidays because a single batch fills a candy tray, and they keep beautifully in the freezer.
As a fourth-generation Southern cook, holiday candy making is in my blood. It’s a production in a Southern kitchen, whether that holiday is the 4th of July or Christmas. We love turning out perfect divinity (which I’m pretty sure I will never make!), any and all types of fudge, easy pretzel bark, English toffee, and one of my favorites — these easy Peanut Butter Buckeyes.
Buckeyes are about the simplest candy I make, and the recipe has been around for decades. There’s not much one would or should change about this tried-and-true recipe. I do like to use dark chocolate melting wafers for the coating. Some old recipes call for milk chocolate, but I prefer the richer taste of dark chocolate.
The wafers melt into a thin, glossy shell and set firm at room temperature, so the buckeyes hold their shape on a tray. The salted butter (one of the few times I use it) in the filling balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar and keeps the peanut butter from tasting flat.
Testing results for buckeyes
- Natural peanut butter in the filling. The oils separated, and the centers stayed too soft to roll or dip, so I stick with no-stir peanut butter like Jif.
- Freezing before dipping. Fifteen to twenty minutes firmed the balls enough to dip without crumbs muddying the chocolate. Any softer and they slumped on the skewer.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
These peanut butter buckeyes are a perfect fit on a holiday candy tray next to White Chocolate Pretzel Bark, homemade Butter Toffee, and Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers.
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Smooth peanut butter. Use a no-stir conventional brand like Jif or Peter Pan. Natural peanut butter separates, and the filling won’t firm up enough to roll.
Salted butter. It softens the filling and rounds out the sweetness. Pull it out ahead so it’s room temperature and creams smoothly with the peanut butter.
Powdered sugar. Three cups create a filling that’s firm enough to shape and holds up to dipping.
Dark chocolate melting wafers. These melt into a thin, smooth coating and set firm without any tempering. One cup covers a full batch with a little chocolate leftover.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make buckeyes
Here’s how to make these classic peanut butter buckeyes from start to finish.
- Beat the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth, then work in the powdered sugar until the mixture is firm enough to shape.
- Scoop and roll the filling into balls, then chill them in the freezer until firm.
- Melt the dark chocolate wafers in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth.
- Skewer each chilled ball and dip it, leaving a circle of peanut butter showing at the top. Set them on parchment to firm up, then smooth the skewer mark closed.
Variations
- Crunchy peanut butter. Swap in no-stir crunchy peanut butter for bits of texture in the filling. I don’t like crunchy peanut butter so I never do this, but you do you, Boo.
- Flaky salt finish. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on the chocolate before it sets for a sweet-salty bite. ✅
- Semi-sweet coating. Use semi-sweet melting wafers in place of dark for a slightly sweeter shell.
- White chocolate drizzle. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the set buckeyes for a holiday look. You can even color it red and green if you want to make it Christmasy.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Buckeyes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter, 1/2 cup salted butter, softened, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon table salt with a stand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
- Add 3 cups powdered sugar, one-half cup at a time, beating on low speed until fully combined. The mixture should be firm enough to roll.
- Scoop about one tablespoon of the mixture with a cookie scoop and roll it into a ball between the palms of the hands. Set each ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the mixture is used.
- Freeze the balls for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm.
- Place 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50 percent power for one minute, stir, then continue in 30-second increments at 50 percent power, stirring between each, until fully smooth.
- Insert a skewer into the top of a chilled ball and dip it into the chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter showing at the top. Set it back on the parchment to let the chocolate set.
- Smooth over the hole left by the skewer with a finger. Repeat with the remaining balls.
Notes
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Make-ahead and storage
Make ahead. You can make the filling and roll the balls a day or two ahead, then keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to dip. For the holidays, I usually make a big batch and dip in stages, since the centers hold in the freezer between rounds.
Storage. Keep finished buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the filling softens.
Freezing. Buckeyes freeze well for up to three months. Layer them between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and thaw in the fridge.
Troubleshooting buckeyes
This usually means the peanut butter was natural or the filling skipped the chill. Use no-stir peanut butter, and if the mixture still feels loose, work in a little more powdered sugar before shaping.
Melt the wafers at 50 percent power, stirring between short bursts. Chocolate burns quickly at full power, and even a drop of water in the bowl can cause it to clump.
The centers were too warm. Freeze them for the full fifteen to twenty minutes so they’re firm before dipping, and if they soften while you work, slide them back into the freezer for a few minutes.
