Easy Buckeye Candy Recipe (peanut butter chocolate)

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These no-bake chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls are the easiest candy you can make. And incredibly delicious! they have only 6 ingredients, are easy to assemble, keep well, and are naturally gluten-free. They are popular during the holiday season, for potlucks, tailgating, or just because you crave the awesome combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

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Close up of buckeyes on stack of white plates with a grey cloth. One is bitten. White background.

The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is fantastic, and these traditional buckeyes are one you must make if you're a fan.

Creamy peanut butter balls are encased in semisweet chocolate. It's simple, uses few ingredients, and can be planned as they keep well.

If you don't want to bother with individual candies, you can try the buckeye fudge, a simple recipe that is similar and easier to assemble.

Why make this recipe

No-bake: few ingredients and a chocolate coating. That's all there is to this recipe.
Crowd-pleaser: it's a chocolate peanut butter lover’s dream and who doesn't like this combination of flavors? Take these buckeyes to potlucks, picnics, holiday parties, barbecues, and tailgating. It never fails.
Make ahead: they last several days and can be frozen.
Easy holiday candy: it's a great project to make with kids and for gift-giving.

Buckeye candies on white plate with parchment paper. A grey cloth in the background.

Why are they called buckeyes?

They resemble buckeye nuts. They're round with a dark brown color and a light brown spot on top and grow on buckeye trees.

They look similar to a chestnut but have no relation to it. They're toxic and not apt for human consumption.

But buckeye candy is worth eating! The creamy peanut butter center covered in dark chocolate perfectly resembles the original nut and is an edible treat you'll love.

What do buckeyes taste like?

They're sweet and somewhat sandy, similar to peanut butter cups or this 2-ingredient fudge. Or old-fashioned chocolate peanut butter fudge. It can be slightly salty, depending on the ingredients used.

How long can you keep them?

They keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks and in the freezer for 2-3 months. Always well covered or in airtight containers. Do not store at room temperature.

How do you store buckeyes?

Keep them in tins or an airtight container. Wait until they're completely dried. If storing them in two or more layers, put wax paper between them to prevent sticking.

Cream colored plate with buckeye candy on a parchment paper. White surface, grey cloth. Top view.

Ingredient list

Peanut butter: use thicker commercial type, like Skippy creamy peanut butter.
Chocolate: you need one that melts easily. I use melting chocolate like Ghirardelli melting wafers or Callebaut chocolate callets. You can use semisweet chocolate chips that you know melt well. I love Ghirardelli premium baking chocolate chips and Nestle toll house semisweet chips.
Unsalted butter.
Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
Powdered sugar: also called icing or confectioners' sugar, it's easily available at the grocery store and online. Domino powdered sugar is a very popular one.
Salt: I like using kosher salt or fine sea salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.

See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.

White marble surface with bowls containing ingredients for buckeyes including chocolate, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt.

Variations & substitutions

Nut butter: use almond butter interchangeably, as long as it's similar in texture and not all-natural, which tends to be more fluid. Cashew butter or tahini can also be used, but they tend to be more fluid (like natural peanut butter), so you might need more powdered sugar to hold their shape well.
Crunchy buckeye balls: use crunchy peanut butter or add finely chopped peanuts to the dough.
Chocolate: use milk chocolate or melted white chocolate if you like a sweeter candy.
Flavorings: add ground cinnamon or almond extract to the peanut butter dough and the vanilla.

How to make homemade buckeyes

It's pretty simple to assemble these peanut butter balls, similar in flavor to Reese’s peanut butter cups.

Buckeye candy comes together in a few minutes, and no special equipment is needed. A large bowl, a spatula, a saucepan to melt the chocolate, a toothpick and a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make sure you make space in the refrigerator for the cookie sheet.

Glass bowl on a white surface with peanut butter, butter, and vanilla.

Beat peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until very smooth.

Flour added to peanut butter mixture in a glass bowl on a white marble surface.

Add dry ingredients (powdered sugar and salt) and beat until incorporated.

Peanut butter sugar dough in a glass bowl on white marble.

The dough is soft but stiff without being dry.

Baking tray with parchment paper and peanut butter balls. White marble surface. .

Make balls and refrigerate until firm enough to coat with chocolate.

Chocolate coating

Metal saucepan white chocolate chips and butter on a white marble surface.

Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan on a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave directly in a glass bowl.

Dipping a peanut butter ball in melted chocolate in a glass bowl. White marble surface.

Insert a toothpick in each peanut butter ball and dip until coated a little above the halfway mark.

Buckeye candy balls on a whitish plate with parchment paper on white marble.

Cool in the refrigerator on wax or parchment paper, chocolate side down, until dry enough to grab.

Vintage Kitchen tip: use chocolate that melts easily, such as good chocolate chips or melting wafers. That way, the coating will not be too thick.

Close up of bitten buckeye candy ball among whole ones on a whitish plate with grey cloth in the background.

Kitchen notes

Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Peanut butter: use thicker commercial type, like Skippy creamy peanut butter. The balls might lack consistency if you use the more fluid all-natural ones.
Butter: regular or non-dairy butter, both work for this recipe. I use unsalted and add salt, but you can use salted butter.
Chocolate: you need one that melts easily. I use melting chocolate like Ghirardelli melting wafers or Callebaut chocolate callets. You can use semisweet chocolate chips that you know melt well. I love Ghirardelli premium baking chocolate chips and Nestle toll house semisweet chips.
Storing: keep them in tins or airtight containers for several weeks in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer. Storing them at room temperature is not recommended.
Peanut butter: use thicker commercial type, like Skippy creamy peanut butter. The balls might lack consistency if you use the more fluid all-natural ones.
Butter: regular or non-dairy butter, both work for this recipe. I use unsalted and add salt, but you can use salted butter.
Chocolate: you need one that melts easily. I use melting chocolate like Ghirardelli melting wafers or Callebaut chocolate callets. You can use semisweet chocolate chips that you know melt well. I love Ghirardelli premium baking chocolate chips and Nestle toll house semisweet chips.
How to store buckeyes: keep them in tins or airtight containers for several weeks in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer (use a freezer-safe container or freezer bag). Storing them at room temperature is not recommended.

Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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