This delightful buckeye recipe doesn't require paraffin wax or chocolate tempering! It's needs just 5 simple ingredients and can be made well in advance.
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Chill Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour25 minutesminutes
Servings 46
Ingredients
2cups(480g)sugar-free creamy peanut butter, choose one that's salted
1cup(226g)unsalted butter, softened
½teaspoonvanilla extract
5cups(600g)confectioners' sugar
18ounces(510g)chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Beat on low speed until sugar is moistened then beat on medium speed until combined. The dough will look thick like cookie dough and shouldn't be sticky.
Scoop the mixture with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll into balls. Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Press a toothpick into the top of each ball and chill in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
Add chocolate melting wafers to a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot filled with 1-inch of barely simmering water. Heat stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Using the toothpick as a handle, dip each ball into the chocolate. Leave a small portion of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes.
Place the buckeyes back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Remove the toothpick and smooth the hole with the back of a spoon just before serving.
Notes
Peanut butter: For the best results, use a commercial brand peanut butter that is salted but unsweetened. Natural peanut butter can be too oily resulting buckeyes that are too soft to hold shape.
Confectioners' sugar: You must use confectioners sugar/powdered sugar. This is used to thicken the dough so it can be shaped. Other sugars won't work the same way and will leave a gritty mouth feel.
If at all possible, weigh the ingredients. It's important to use precise measurements so the consistency of the peanut butter dough comes out properly. If it feels too soft and sticky, add more powdered sugar.
Make ahead tip
Keep them tightly covered and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
They also freeze well for up to 2 months. First, freeze them on the baking sheet for 1 hour then transfer to a ziptop freezer bag.