How to Make Buckeyes
Learn how to make buckeyes, Ohio’s favorite homemade candy, to share with friends at tailgates, parties and at Christmas time.
Servings 3 dozen
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/2 stick, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces semisweet, white or dark chocolate, chips or wafers
Instructions
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or using a stand mixer, stir the peanut butter, butter, salt and vanilla on medium speed until combines. Next add the powdered sugar using low speed and increasing to medium as the mixture combines.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and roll out the peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls. Once the baking sheet is full, freeze the balls for 30 minutes to harden.
- Melt the chocolate. Dip the chilled peanut butter balls in the chocolate using toothpicks as skewers to hold the balls. Cover all but the top of each ball.
- Place the dipped buckeyes back onto the baking sheet and with a clean hand smooth over the hole left by the tooth pick.
- Refrigerate the buckeyes until the chocolate sets. Store leftover buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Notes: If the batter is crumbly, add more peanut butter a tablespoon at a time. If it is too sticky, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.
If the chocolate is too thick, add a teaspoon of oil to the chocolate and stir until smooth.
Use high quality peanut butter and chocolate for best results.
For easier dipping, use an ice cream scoop to ladle up the melted chocolate then dip the frozen peanut butter balls easily into that.