Homemade Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeye Balls)
You can make perfect peanut butter balls at home with zero experience when you follow my easy step-by-step guide. We take 6 simple ingredients and turn them into buckeye balls that will make you the star of any gathering.
Servings: 25 -30 balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened, 1 stick
- 1 ½ cups (405g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups (339g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips a 12oz bag has about 2 cups
- 1 Tbsp shortening or coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined and smooth.1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups (405g) creamy peanut butter
- Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat on low, until the mixture comes together. It will be THICK. You can also switch to using your hands to knead the mixture together.1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups (339g) powdered sugar
- Use a cookie dough scoop (or tablespoon) to form balls. My balls had about 2 tbsp of dough. Roll the mixture between your hands to form balls. *TIP* Rub a small amount of butter between your hands if the mixture gets sticky.
- Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 1 hour or for 20 minutes in the freezer. This step is crucial, do not skip chilling the balls.
- After chilling the peanut butter balls, in a small pot over low heat on the stove, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and shortening (or coconut oil). Stir occasionally until fully melted, this may take 10 minutes.1 1/2 cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 Tbsp shortening
- I like to remove 5 balls from the fridge/freezer at a time to dip, this helps to keep the others cold. To dip the balls, stick a toothpick halfway into the peanut butter ball, then lower into the melted chocolate, swirling as needed. Traditional buckeye balls aren’t fully covered in chocolate, but have a peanut butter “eye”. Gently scrap the bottom of the ball on the edge of your container that’s holding the chocolate to remove excess chocolate. Then place the dipped ball on a silicone baking mat. Use a second toothpick resting on top of the ball to help remove the toothpick that’s inserted into the ball.
- Once all the balls are dipped, return them to the fridge for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Serve and enjoy. Follow the storage directions in the notes.
Video
Notes
Do buckeye balls need to be refrigerated?
Yes! At least for optimal eating conditions, I recommend keeping them in the fridge. If you leave the balls out for too long, the butter and peanut butter will become soft. Place buckeye balls in an air tight container with parchment paper between the layers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.Can buckeye balls be frozen?
Yes, as long as you properly package them for the freezer.- Flash freeze them. Place the balls on a silicone mat lined baking sheet in the freezer, and freeze until frozen.
- Then wrap bundles of 6-8 balls together in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer container or ziplock bag.
- Buckeye balls will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, place the entire bag or individual bundles in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, unwrap the bundles. There may be condensation that you need to blot with a paper towel.
Nutrition
Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg