Easy Buckeye Candy
These are fudgy peanut butter balls coated with chocolate. It has only 6 ingredients (pantry staples), they're easy to assemble, keep well and are naturally gluten-free.
Servings 30 buckeyes
Ingredients
For the peanut butter balls:
- 1 ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
For the chocolate coating:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or melting chocolate wafers
- ½ tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Beat 1 ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Use an electric mixer.
- Add 3 cups powdered sugar slowly and continue mixing until it’s all well integrated.
- Scoop tablespoons of dough and shape them into balls with your hands.
- Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes.
- Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or melting chocolate wafers with ½ tablespoon butter in the microwave or a double boiler over low heat. See notes below.
- Carefully insert a toothpick or small wooden skewers into the chilled peanut butter balls, and dip them into the melted chocolate mixture to coat a little above half of the ball. Let the excess chocolate drip.
- Transfer each ball to the cookie sheet, chocolate side down, and to the fridge to set. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls until they're all coated in chocolate.
- Chill in the fridge for about 1 hour, or until the chocolate sets. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
Notes
Peanut butter: use thicker commercial type. 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.
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.
