Hamdi Saidani These Pioneer Woman Buckeyes are creamy peanut butter balls dipped three-quarters of the way into melted dark chocolate so a little circle of peanut butter peeks through the top, just like the nut of a buckeye tree. Powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt get beaten together, rolled into balls, frozen, and dunked. No oven, no baking, about 90 minutes including chill time.
The trick is pouring the melted chocolate into a mug so it stays warm and deep enough to dunk each ball on a toothpick. Once you figure that out, the whole batch moves fast and you end up with 28 peanut butter chocolate candies that look like they came from a shop.
Can You Use Natural Peanut Butter
Stick with regular creamy peanut butter here, not the natural kind. Natural peanut butter separates more easily and the oil makes the balls greasy and soft. They won’t firm up the way they need to for dipping.
Regular peanut butter holds together, freezes firm, and gives you that smooth, dense center when you bite through the chocolate shell. It’s not the time to go all-natural.
Buckeyes Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (3.5-ounce) dark chocolate bars (70% cocoa), roughly chopped
- Jimmies sprinkles (optional)
How To Make Pioneer Woman Buckeyes
- Make the Peanut Butter Filling: Beat the peanut butter and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl as you go.
- Roll and Freeze: Scoop the mixture by the tablespoon and roll into about 28 smooth balls between your palms. If they get too soft to work with, pop them in the freezer for a couple minutes. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Melt the Chocolate: Set up a double boiler with about an inch of simmering water and a heatproof bowl on top. Melt the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a heat-safe mug so it stays warm and deep enough for dipping.
- Dip and Chill: Skewer each frozen peanut butter ball with a toothpick and dip it three-quarters into the chocolate, leaving a small circle of peanut butter showing on top. Let the excess drip off, set it back on the parchment, and sprinkle the sides with jimmies if you want. Remove the toothpick and smooth over the hole. Chill for 30 minutes until the chocolate sets.
What If the Peanut Butter Mixture Is Too Soft
Your hands warm the mixture as you roll, which can make it sticky and hard to shape. If that happens, freeze the whole batch for a couple minutes, then come back to it. The cold firms everything up fast.
After shaping, freeze the balls for a full 30 minutes before dipping. If they’re not cold enough, the chocolate slides right off or melts the peanut butter on contact and you lose that clean line between the two layers.
How To Package These as a Gift
Layer them in a small tin or box between sheets of wax paper so the chocolate shells don’t stick together. Keep them cold until you hand them off, especially in warm weather.
A dozen buckeyes in a nice tin with a ribbon is one of those homemade Christmas candy gifts that people actually get excited about. They look professional, they taste incredible, and nobody believes you made them in under two hours.
How To Store
Keep buckeyes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The chocolate shell keeps the peanut butter filling from drying out. You can freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, not on the counter, or the chocolate will sweat and lose its shine.
Nutrition
- Calories: 135 kcal (estimated)
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Pioneer Woman Buckeyes
Description
These Pioneer Woman Buckeyes are creamy peanut butter balls dipped three-quarters of the way into melted dark chocolate so a little circle of peanut butter peeks through the top, just like the nut of a buckeye tree. Powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt get beaten together, rolled into balls, frozen, and dunked. No oven, no baking, about 90 minutes including chill time.
The trick is pouring the melted chocolate into a mug so it stays warm and deep enough to dunk each ball on a toothpick. Once you figure that out, the whole batch moves fast and you end up with 28 peanut butter chocolate candies that look like they came from a shop.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the Peanut Butter Filling: Beat the peanut butter and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl as you go.
- Roll and Freeze: Scoop the mixture by the tablespoon and roll into about 28 smooth balls between your palms. If they get too soft to work with, pop them in the freezer for a couple minutes. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Melt the Chocolate: Set up a double boiler with about an inch of simmering water and a heatproof bowl on top. Melt the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a heat-safe mug so it stays warm and deep enough for dipping.
- Dip and Chill: Skewer each frozen peanut butter ball with a toothpick and dip it three-quarters into the chocolate, leaving a small circle of peanut butter showing on top. Let the excess drip off, set it back on the parchment, and sprinkle the sides with jimmies if you want. Remove the toothpick and smooth over the hole. Chill for 30 minutes until the chocolate sets.
