Easy no bake chocolate covered peanut butter balls, also known as Buckeye Balls, are a sweet treat made from just five ingredients! I'll tell you how to make buckeyes and why they're perfect for the holidays!
Why this recipe is so easy:
Buckeye Balls are one of the best desserts because it combines two of the greatest flavors together: peanut butter and chocolate.
Peanut butter buckeyes are about as simple as it gets. Just a few ingredients and clean hands create these tasty little no bake peanut butter balls that are great to set out during a holiday party or to include in a cookie tin.
This is a fun, simple, easy recipe you can make with your little ones. These peanut butter balls are always the first treats to fly off those holiday cookie platters!
Simple list of ingredients:
- One jar of peanut butter. I prefer smooth over chunky. Choosing sweetened or unsweetened is just a matter of preference.
- Unsalted butter, however salted butter will work just fine. The butter is mixed with the peanut butter but also the chocolate.
- Pure vanilla extract. I make my own!
- Confectioners' sugar which is also known as powdered sugar.
- Chocolate chips. I recommend semi sweet but you can use milk chocolate.
How to make Buckeyes:
This is definitely one of those recipes you can have your kids help with. Let them have fun and then you can fix their odd shaped creations once they go wash their hands!
- First step is to combine the peanut butter with softened butter and vanilla.
- These get creamed together until smooth.
- Then you will slowly add in the sugar. The mixture will be thick so you will need to use a strong utensil like a wooden spoon and then eventually your hands.
- You will form tablespoon sized round balls and chill them in the freezer or refrigerator.
- Melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave at half power.
- Once it's melted, you can dip each peanut butter ball into the chocolate and allow to set.
Tips for success:
- Be sure to add the confectioners' sugar slowly so that you get the proper texture. You want it to be firm enough to form a ball, but not too thick that it crumbles.
- Crunchy or smooth peanut butter will work when making buckeye peanut butter balls.
- If you're wondering how to roll, a nice layer of butter on the palms of your hands prevents sticking.
- Adding butter to the chocolate makes it softer and easier to work with. Be sure to heat it slowly at half power and stir frequently to allow for even melting.
- Storage: If they last long enough to have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week or in the freezer for a couple months.
Other chocolate peanut butter recipes:
Love the combination? Me too. Be sure to try these favorites.
- Peanut Butter Pie
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Snickers Peanut Butter Fudge
- Butterfinger Overload Brownies
- Instant Pot Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!
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Buckeye Balls recipe video below!
Buckeye Balls
CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO
Ingredients
filling:
- 12 ounces peanut butter (about 1.5 cups)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
chocolate shell:
- 9 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until completely smooth.
- One cup at a time, add powdered sugar. Start by mixing with a spoon and then mix with hands to form a thick dough. For the last cup of powdered sugar, be sure to add it slowly one heaping spoonful at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Shape tablespoon sized balls and roll them smooth in between your hands. Set on parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for two hours for freeze for at least 15 minutes.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine chocolate and remaining butter and microwave at half power in one minute increments, stirring each time, until everything has melted and is completely smooth.
- Dip each peanut butter ball in the chocolate. You may use one or two toothpicks to poke into the peanut butter ball to make it easier to dip into the chocolate. If you do, simply smooth over any holes the toothpick leaves in the ball. Return the dipped peanut butter balls back to the parchment lined sheet and allow to set.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze until you devour them.
Notes
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This recipe was originally published in September 2019 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!
Ellie Van Neste
Mmm, this looks amazing!! I'm trying it now:)
Jeff Klinebiel
Can this recipe for Buckeye be emailed to me
Krissy
done!
Cheryl
Sorry, my error. Must be the holiday crazies!!
Cheryl
Your recipe says 1/2 cup of butter (1cube) 1 cube is a quarter cup??
Lori
1 stick of butter is 1/2 a cup.
Krissy
Yes. It was confusing in my recipe card. Apologies for that! Hopefully it looks better now.
Emily
Hi there,
I was just wondering how much of the butter you put into the peanut butter and how much you put into the chocolate. From your video, it looks like maybe only 1 tablespoon goes into the chocolate. I didn't have any sound when I watched the video, so I apologize if you indicated the amounts there.
Thank you!
Krissy
Hi Emily, I list butter twice in the ingredients, but I just edited the recipe to show that the first amount of butter goes into the filling and the second part goes into the chocolate. Sorry for the confusion! Krissy
Billie Huffman
So how much butter goes in the peanut butter an how much goes in the chocolate
Krissy
The filling and the chocolate shell are separated in the recipe. The peanut butter filling has 1/2 cup and the chocolate shell has 3 tablespoons. Enjoy!