Buckeye Balls
Buckeye balls are chocolate-covered balls of peanut butter and confectioners' sugar.
Buckeye balls are chocolate-covered balls of peanut butter and confectioners' sugar.
I LOVE this recipe! I've made this recipe several times, and my favorite way to make them is to double the recipe, press the peanut butter part in a 9 x 9 glass pan, pour the melted chocolate over top, refrigerate, and then cut into small squares when thoroughly chilled. It saves the time of forming each ball and dipping them.
Read MoreWhy didn't I listen??? Four cups (sifted) was way too much sugar. Mine were very dry and crumbly. I used Jif and blue bonnet if that helps anyone. I'll definitely try again with 3 cups of sugar.
Read MoreI LOVE this recipe! I've made this recipe several times, and my favorite way to make them is to double the recipe, press the peanut butter part in a 9 x 9 glass pan, pour the melted chocolate over top, refrigerate, and then cut into small squares when thoroughly chilled. It saves the time of forming each ball and dipping them.
This is perfect! Here's the scoop on them being dry. You need to very carefully measure your ingredients. What I do is put all the powdered sugar except for the last cup. Mix it all together and slowly add the last cup of powdered sugar if needed. This will ensure that you get the perfect rollable texture each and every time!
These were Awesome! Anyone that loves peanutbutter will love these! And they are relatively easy to make. Can be a little time consuming having to roll each one however, i've made far more time consuming candies that don't taste half as good as this. This is a really simple recipe to follow also. After I rolled them into balls, I froze them for about 30min and they were very easy to dump a few in a time into my bowl of melted chocolate and fish out with a fork. I then froze them again to get them to set and packaged them up in their containers and now they sit in my frigerator ready to be given out.
This is the best buckeye recipe i have ever made. I have read all the reviews. Do not pack down the powdered sugar!! lightly put the powdered sugar in the cup and level it off. The dough was not dry. GO BUCKS
All I can say is WOW!!!!! These are the best I have ever tasted!!! Even better than the bakery down the road that is noted for them(Just had one yesterday so I would have something to compare it to). I did change a few things though, I did decrease the 10x sugar to three cups like some other reviews had suggested, and I used milk chocolate instead of semi sweet. I also decreased the shortening by half and used a full pound of chocolate. Better to be safe than sorry!!! Thanks Allison!!
Why didn't I listen??? Four cups (sifted) was way too much sugar. Mine were very dry and crumbly. I used Jif and blue bonnet if that helps anyone. I'll definitely try again with 3 cups of sugar.
Speed it up: A cup and a half of peanut butter is about one 16 oz. jar. No need to measure. 6 oz. of chocolate chips is a cup. Unless you're trying to please someone from Ohio, save time and effort by spreading the peanut stuff in a 9 in. pan lined with parchment paper, and spread the chocolate over. When chilled, lift out by the paper, and cut into about 36 pieces. I reduced the sugar to 3 cups and they taste great. Might try half Splenda next time. Might try cutting into little hearts for Valentines.
These turned out absolutely perfect. I used my small cookie scoop to make uniform balls. I froze my balls for an hour or so before dipping them in the melted chocolate. Very simple for me to make with little hands and the boys can't keep their hands off of them. They tell me this is their new favorite recipe. Better than Reese's.
I halved this recipe and used Hershey bars. How yummy! My grandkids can't get enough...and that's exactly why I made them the size of my thumbnail! ;0)
By far, these are the BEST sweet treats of the Christmas season! Living in the "Buckeye State" of Ohio all my life, these have been a staple in our Christmas kitchen. This recipe is nearly identical to the family recipe I'm used to. The nice addition of vanilla is the only difference. It helps if you add the powdered sugar about one cup at a time. That way, you can control how stiff the dough gets; you won't have to worry about adding too much powdered sugar and scrambling to add more peanut butter or other ingredient. Don't try to mix the dough with a spoon, because you'll break or bend it (plus mixing with your hands is fun!) Buckeyes always impress friends and family, and homemade ones are much less expensive than store-bought ones.
For the p.b./chocolate fan these are great. Just a note, as a time-saver, the peanut mixture can be pressed into a pan with the melted chocolate poured over and served as a bar.
I loved this recipe and made it twice as written and it tasted like sin (VERY good). My family raved and wanted the recipe. I saw where many people complained about the sugar amount etc..and dryness. Well I will say that firstly, confectioners sugar and peanut butter are two things that are temperature and/or humidity sensitive. The sugar is sensitive to moisture and as we know..peanut butter is totally different at different temps. So maybe that's why different people had different experiences?..who knows. Anywho...I made this recipe as stated and wouldn't change a thing or reduce the sugar, because if I'm going to eat sweets I go big or go home!
Wow, what a difference trying these again made. I broke down and bought a non-natural peanut butter this time(Peter Pan-reduced fat) and followed another user's step by adding two tablespoons of water to the peanut butter mixture to aid in forming balls. The water additon made all the difference and I was able to use every single bit of the mixture with no crumbs left over. I only used about 3 1/2 cups of the sugar and added it cup by cup (except the last cup which i sprinkled in until I felt it was enough), mixing in thoroughly each time. Also, I made sure my butter was just softened so that it was the same texture and consistency as the peanut butter.
These came out wonderful. Smooth, light and creamy filling and a chocolate mixture that is easy to work with. I made my balls smaller and ended up with about 48, so I had to double the chocolate mixture. I also recommend adding the powdered sugar slowly, because you might not need as much the recipe states.
I had never heard of these before, but wanted to give them a try.....glad I did!! They were so good, I followed recipe exactly and then after dipping in chocolate, I rolled half of them in toasted pecans, and some in chopped peanuts. Both were a big hit! Thanks so much!
This recipe is great! I used a cookie scoop to make the balls instead of rolling each one by hand. The scoop made the perfect shape and each ball was the same size!
These really are fabulous and easy. But be careful about the amount of powdered sugar. I put all 4 cups in and it was too dry. I saved it by adding 1/4 cup more of peanut butter. Try 3 cups, then judge if you think it needs more or not. =)
I cannot begin to tell you how satisfied I was with this incredible recipe. I took the time to do it right and it was more than I ever expected. Sure you have to take a little extra time mixing all the recipe calls for so you get a creamy and smooth mixture to form balls. I used hershey bars instead of chocolate chips. Friends, the time you put into this will make your mouth beg for more and the hit of any party, holiday or otherwise. Great for Easter...Just shape into eggs and after dipping, decorate. I could not believe the quality and flavor. Just like a genuine old country candy shop. Thank you Allison.
god i don't know how any one can eat these 2 bites and im still sick to my stomach way to much suger they were to wet and was not able to even hold a tooth pick in them to dip in chocolate. what a waste of suger will not give my kids way to sweet mind as well eat a spoon full of suger yuck.
I would NOT recommend making these into bars as a reviewer suggested. I did and they were extremely difficult to get out of the glass pan. If the bars aren’t really cold, they fall apart. Even when you serve them, you can’t keep them that cold and they become messy to eat. The chocolate shell around the peanut butter ball helps hold it together and is easier to serve. If you do try to make these into bars, a 9 x 9 pan is way too small for a double batch. Great flavor though.
I added an extra 1/2 cup of peanut butter. I also wanted to dip them like cake pops so I melted a bag of chocolate chips (11.5 oz) with 2 tablespoons of shortening at 30 second intervals in the microwave on high. Yum! :)
An easy way to remember the ingredients is 123 - 1 Lb. butter 2 Lbs. peanut butter and 3Lbs. conf. sugar. Makes about 100-150 cookies depending on size). Also instead of shortening mix a half a bar of wax in with the two packs of chocolate chips and it stays on the cookie really well. If you have extra chocolate it's great to dip fruit in to it.
These couldn't be easier to make! I made a batch last night, we ate one each, and put the rest in the freezer for Christmas. These taste almost as good as a Reese's peanut butter cup! I'll have to say that this is one of the few recipes that I followed and didn't deviate from. It's absolutely perfect as written...5 stars from our RV!
I like a many others found that the mixture ended up being very crumbly and difficult to roll and dip. Freezing them before dipping them in chocolate really helped! I also wished that there was more of the peanut butter flavor. Maybe I should have used less sugar....
I had to make a little change to this recipe. There was way too much powdered sugar and not enough peanut butter. I ended up using about 2 extra cups of peanut butter. Everybody loved it. It was a big hit.
Only reason I did not give 5 stars was I did as other reviewers and reduced the sugar. I discovered that 1 box (or 1 lb.) is the perfect amount. That comes to about 3 1/3 cups. I don't see how one could use 4 cups, my dough was almost too dry. But, they turned out beautifully! My first time making buckeyes, so I am excited! Thanks for the recipe, Allison. I will use for my buckeye (or peanut butter balls as we say here in Tennessee Vols country) recipe from now on!
Huge hit! I made them for Christmas and used 1/2 natural unsalted PB and 1/2 regular. It made the texture and taste amazing!
Delicious! I ended up only using 3 cups of (non-sifted) powdered sugar....and added a tad more peanut butter. I did use 1-1/2 c. chocolate chips. Definite crowd pleaser!
These are awesome! I changed the recipe only slightly - I used a tad less confectioners sugar and added a 1/2 c. of graham cracker crumbs (from the Buckeyes II recipe - another great one). My b.f. and brother love the texture that the graham cracker crumbs add (almost like Reese's). These are delish!!
My husband helped me make these...definately a time-consuming recipe so having someone to help is great! I meticulously measured but the peanut butter and sugar mixture turned out very dry and crumbly. In order to make smooth and perfectly round balls, I added about 2 tablespoons of water before rolling into balls. The mixture was also so thick that I had to use my electric mixer (with dough attachment). **These are SO rich. Next time, I will definately make these much smaller.
Like others, I used only 3 cups of sugar and then sifted it. I also use a whole jar of reduced fat pb AND reduced fat butter, and they still turn out wonderfully! After freezing them for 30-60 minutes, they are easy to coat with chocolate. For the chocolate, I use butter flavored shortening and melt it and the chips in the microwave. I also like to double dip the pb balls to add an extra chocolate layer. This recipe is really easy, and since there are no weird ingredients like graham crackers or anything, these come out silky smooth and not gritty at all. :)
OMG are they ever addicting! Family favorite here....followed recipes exactly too.
I took the advice of others and only used 2 cups of powder sugar. I also used almond bark to dip in. They turned out GREAT, I now have to make more the holidays.
Very Dry, I recommend listening to other reviews and cut back 1 cup of sugar. I ended up adding extra peanut butter and vanilla so I could roll the balls. Otherwise a good recipe.
Growing up in Ohio (the Buckeye State), these were a favorite Christmas treat. Being disabled, cooking isn't easy for me, so I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this is to make! The balls are even better the second day!
When making the balls, it is so much easier using a small cookie scoop. This way all the buckeyes are the same size and it takes a fraction of the time. Trust me, it is worth the $5 to invest in one. Cookie scoops come in all different sizes, and I use them when making all my cookies. Depending on the cookie depends on what size scoop I use.
I made these yesterday for the first time and they turned out fantastic. However, I made a few changes based on the previous reviews: I used an entire 18 oz jar of peanut butter because it was barely more than 1 1/2 cups. I also only used 3 cups of powdered sugar (but I didn't sift it - oops). And I also used an entire bag of chocolate chips (12 oz.) even though I had a bit of chocolate left over. 4 tbsp of shortening of course. 6 oz definitely wouldn't have been enough. I think they turned out perfect.
Delicious and easy recipe! The ONLY reason this did not get a five star rating, is because the 6 oz. of chips (& shortening) was not near enough to cover the balls. And no, I did not make huge balls. Next time, I will definitely use a bigger bag of chips. I followed the directions to a T. I highly recommend this recipe. It's simple, fast and delicious. But do yourself a favor before making these: Go ahead and buy the next size up of chips. You'll thank me later. LOL!
This was good I followed the other reviewers and used less sugar definitely good!!!!
These taste soooo good! Make sure you sift the confectioner's sugar. I didn't and had to add more peanut butter and butter because it was too crumbly. Also, I would recommend doubling the chocolate and shortening amount. The more chocolate in the pan, the easier it is to dip!
Great recipe! Although I use chocolate bark. I use my crock-pot to melt the chocolate. It cuts down on the mess.
I love these little peanut butter snacks! I didn't sift the powdered sugar, just used 3 cups right from the box. I only used 2 teaspoons of crisco instead of tablespoons and used more chocolate. The toothpick method of dipping didn't work too well for me, so I used a fork and scooped some of the peanut butter balls out. The fork did leave some "dents" in the chocolate as it hardened, so I drizzled the leftover chocolate over the candy and it made them look very pretty. I will be making these again!
Very good recipe! I used 1/2 chunky & 1/2 honey roasted peanut butter. I also had to double the chocolate, BUT now that I have properly read the recipe, I realize that you aren't supposed to roll the ball in the chocolate, but dip it (ahhh flip the switch & the light goes on). The kids loved them & I already have to make more to give to my siblings on Christmas! Thanks Allison!!
Wow! These were great! I used only 3 cups of sugar (because that's all I had) and the dough was not dry or crumbly. So, I would suggest to use only 3 cups of sugar. They turned our perfect! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
These were really good, but so rich... Next time I make these I will make them smaller so that they are less intimidating. "Golf Ball" size is a bit much ;)
Very good! reminds me of eating a reeses peanut butter cup :) Will be made often around my house.
thanks everyone for the tip on cutting the sugar down to 3 cups,instead of 4
This was the worst recipe I have ever tried. It was way too sweet. Just a little taste made me sick to my stomach. The dough was very crumbly, I could not make balls out of them. I had to throw it away before I even dipped it in chocolate. These are not the buckeyes I know.
These were so good! Worth the time it took to make them, for sure! Everyone kept asking where I got the recipe for Resse's peanut butter cups! The one thing I will do differently next time is to double-dip the balls in chocolate - I found they needed more chocolate. But they were devoured very quickly, & the recipe was handed out several times!
I have to give this 5 stars! They tasted just like the peanut butter cups you get at the store. I bake A LOT during the holidays, and there are a lot of things to choose from, however these were the first to go! I got the recipe a couple weeks ago and I have already made 4 batches. The only thing I did differently was once they were in the fridge, I just spooned the melted chocolate over them on the cookie sheet. I found that to be much easier, instead of poking each one with a toothpick and then trying to fish them out later. Thanks for the recipe!!
I shaped these like footballs for Super Bowl... Everyone Loved them...
Quite good, although the dough was too dry and I had to keep adding butter. The chocolate topping turned out excellent. Thanks
My mother made these when I was a child. Her recipe called for parafin wax instead of shortening. Parafin wax was hard to find but I ran into a wonderful product. I used Ghiradelli Candy Making & Dipping Dark Melting Wafers. Simply melt the wafers in the microwave and dip your buckeyes. The shell dries and hardens quickly. I also used the tips and only used 3 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar! They turned out AWESOME! So much easier than my mother's recipe.
Only added 3 cups powdered sugar, came out beautifully! I think almost half a dozen were eaten before I even got to dip them!
So easy! I'm not great at coating things in chocolate so I cheated a little - I melted chocolate in a zip top bag, then put a small dot of it onto a piece of parchment, topping it with a Buckeye - thus, the bottom is coated. I put it in the fridge to set, and when chilled I used the same zip top and covered it from the top, letting the chocolate roll down the side of the Buckeye - I did have to use an offset spatula to smooth it out a bit, but it worked fine. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these for a friend from Ohio that helped us plan a trip to Ohio. I only had one cup of peanut butter so the dough was a little dry and crumbly but the turned out fine!
This recipe is very quick & easy, and the result is so yummy! I did add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract because the dough was a little too stiff. I also melted 6 oz. white chocolate with 2 tbsp. of shortening and drizzled over the tops for a professional, beautiful look. I received rave reviews!!!
We have made these for two years now and they are always a hit. One thing we did different was make them smaller. Our were about the size of marbles and every one loved them.
Do not be fooled by this recipe. We were very ecstatic about this recipe, but then it drastically let us down when the peanut butter mixture crumbled in our hands. We were supposed to be bringing this to a holiday party, but now we have to find a quick alternative in time for the party. The peanut butter mixture was way too dry and extremely sweet.
We have the nut allergy in our house, so I've learned to tweek many recipes, this being one. I used Sunbutter in place of the peanutbutter. I used 2 tsp of vanilla. I also used all 4 cups of confectioners sugar as directed. I read many reviews and they almost all said that was too much and made the mix much too dry. Knowing that Sunbutter was much thinner than peanutbutter, I was confident that 4 cups would be perfect, but still mixed in the first three, then added the last cup. After rolling the balls and placing them on wax paper, I put them in the freezer for more then an hour to assure they were chilled. I melted an entire bag of Nestle milk chocolate chips, no butter and dipped completely. I then drizzled with butterscotch chips. They taste delish and look beautiful:)
These are the best. My family loved them I had to make more for christmas. I used 3 cups powdered sugar as suggested (with no sifting)they were great!! I also used butter flavor crisco for shortening...works great! Thank you
I made these yesterday for the upcoming holidays; however, I agree with previous reviewers...definitely sift your powdered sugar and only use 3 cups...I used four and it was too sugary tasting. Also, I used 12 ounces of chocolate versus the 6 ounces stated...and just added almonds to the leftover chocolate for a quick slab of chocolate almond bark for hubby since I wouldn't let him have any of the Buckeye Balls til Christmas!
I LOVE buckeyes, so I used this recipe as a Halloween idea. After rolling the peanut butter into balls, I stuck 4 pretzel pieces into each one to make the legs of a spider. Then I froze the balls before dunking the whole "spider" in melted dark chocolate. After that set, I used red gel to add eyes. The combination of salty pretzels and sweet buckeyes is awesome...I'm not sure if the spiders are going to last until the party!
Excellent recipe! I did add a little extra peanut butter (the 1 1/2 cups used almost a whole small jar of peanut butter so I just added the remaining peanut butter); I also put toothpicks directly into each ball and put them in the freezer to harden before dipping . . . I would advise using a little extra chocolate - the 6 oz. was EXACTLY enough - none to spare. Great recipe - will make again
These were good, but there is too much shortening in the chocolate. It made the buckeyes tacky to the touch unless they were kept in the refrigerator. I would use half the shortening (or maybe even none at all) next time.
The ABSOLUTE best!!! I used one cup less of UNSIFTED confectioners sugar and I cheated by doubling the recipe, flattening out the dough with a rolling pin, refrigerating the flattened dough, pouring the melted chocolate on top, refrigerating again, then using a pizza cutter to cut individual servings. So much easier, less messy, and quicker than rolling individual balls and just as good!! Thanks for this recipe!!!
Turned out great with a few changes: as past reviewers have said, 4 cups of confectioners' sugar is too much- I used about 3 cups; also, there is no need for shortening...the chocolate will stick just fine without it; this works best if you can keep the chocolate melted over a double boiler. Yum!
these are by far the best i have ever had. the peanut butter mixture is so smooth. i usually double the chocolate. it can also be pressed into a pan for a quick dessert.
I add a little more peanut butter than what's listed and just work it alot wit my hands to absorb some of the extra oil. It makes it tastes stronger and is easier to shape, otherwise I find the "dough" gets dry
Excellent. These are always a favorite with all of the kids in my house and on the block!
These are simple and great for holiday gift tins! SOO delish!!!
My entire family absolutely loved these. We always leave some in the fridge and some in the freezer. They are a great treat!
I found out that you don't need all of the powdered sugar.I add 1 cup at a time to see if you need all of it.
I am a Buckeye (Ohio State!) and made these for the big game tomorrow! There is absolutely nothing I would change about this recipe. They are SUPPOSED to be sweet like that, so I think the 4 cups of sugar shouldn't be altered. They are very yummy and take me back to my childhood. Thanks so much for the great recipe.
Made these for Christmas treats. I thought they were a little too sweet however everyone that I gave them to loved them......especially the young adults in my family. Next time I will make them a little smaller in size and maybe they won't seem so sweet.
WONDERFUL! A huge hit - they were gone in a flash! I didn't use any shortening and the chocolate set up beautifully fine. I also used dark chocolate per my own preference. These will be a holiday staple for many years!!!!
I followed it exactlly. Only needed 3 c sugar. These are better then reeses cups. I took the same recipe and added mini choc chips at end. Press mixture into lined swallow pan. chill and cut into small sqares. dip each sq into choc. place on wax paper to harden. you might need more choc. Only use 1tbl of shortening. makes choc thicker. These make the best pb, choco chip melt aways.
These are a little too rich for my taste, but my son eats them one after another. They took a very long time to make. I felt that it was worth the effort, though, because they are so impressive-looking. I suggest doubling the chocolate-dipping portion of the recipe. I ran out half way through the dipping process. I also melted the chocolate and crisco in the microwave in a glad tupperware container, covered loosely with the tupperware lid. Micro for a minute on high and then stir.
YUM!! This is a dangerous one to have around!! I doubled the chocolate/shortening & dipped the whole pb ball in-there was just exactly enough!! Thank you for a great recipe!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I absolutely LOVE these things, and haven't had them since I moved out to California from Ohio. All my neighbors appreciate it, too!!
These are sooooo good! The PB center is just the right consistency and none of those "weird" ingredients like graham crackers! I followed other reviewers advice and reduced the 10X sugar to 3 C. I also increased PB to 1 C and will probably add still more next time. These were a little time consuming and my presentation isn't the best, but I'm sure both will improve as I continue to experiment w/this recipe. I melted my choc chips in the microwave (45 sec, stir, 30 sec). The first time I used 1/2 bag of milk choc chips w/the shortening. Next time, just the chips. Finally, semi sweet mini chips (yes, all 3 "batches" of choc covering for 1 batch of balls....about 1 1/4 bags of chips and I used it all). This made about 86 smallish balls for me. Thanks for a great recipe! I made the balls and then placed in freezer for 30 min, consistency was fine for dipping.
A little time consuming, but worth it. Be sure to let the peanut butter balls chill before dipping or you will have a big mess. Gave these as Christmas gifts and they were a big hit.
These are such a hit wherever I bring them to. Used sugar free peanut butter and still I found them sweet enough. Very yummy!
This is the first review I have aver posted on this site. These were so easy to make and so yummy!! Even my 3 yr. old helped. I made them as stated the first time and they were great. I do agree that more chocolate is needed to coat all the balls. Second time I upped the peanut butter to 2 cups and then they were perfect.
I made these today, tasted great. Made a few alterations... I added 3 cups non-sifted powdered sugar and a whole 18oz container of Jiffy creamy peanut butter. If you use the 1 1/2 cup of peanut butter then don't use all the sugar it will make the mix to dry and it will crumble. I also use Almond Bark (for all my chocolate coverings)instead of morsels. Melts down great and has a nice sheen when dry. Best of luck!
Yummy! These were easy to make, but be prepared to let the mixture set for several hours in the refrigerator before rolling- even overnight if you have time.
So yummy! I used the 3 cups of confectioners sugar unsifted. I also sprinkled a little course sea salt on the chocolate coating of the buckeyes before putting them into the refrigerator.
These were fantsic! The only thing I did different was put my chocolate and shortening in a small crock pot on warm while the buckeyes were chilling. Stir every once in a while. It worked great! I didnt have to worry about the chocolate mixture solidifying before I got all the buckeyes dunked. And FYI make a double batch. they go fast.
I think this recipe is good, but it was more work than I had anticipated. Definitely make the balls on the small side and work the dough by hand. I have a commercial mixer and it was too soft even after chilling the dough.
These were good. My friends and hubby both liked them a lot. I used 3 cups of powdered suger instead of 4 like others recommended. I think I might use even less next time. They were still a bit too sweet for me. But very creamy! Good!
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