These peanut butter and chocolate candies aka buckeyes are even more delicious with a secret ingredient… coffee! Buckeyes make a wonderful gift for friends and family.
What is a candy buckeye?
Alright, this answer is mostly for non-Ohioans because we grew up knowing anything and everything about this delicious little peanut butter chocolate desserts.
A candy buckeye is by definition “a confection made from a peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate to leave a circle of peanut butter visible. Buckeyes are similar to peanut butter balls, which are completely covered in chocolate.”
They are meant to resemble an actual buckeye nut which comes from Ohio’s official state “tree,” the Buckeye Tree. It’s actually called the Buckeye Tree because the nut looks like a deer’s eye — so “buck-eye.” We Ohioans are a simple folk.
Not sure if I then have to continue this lesson to let you know that The Ohio State University (my alma mater) mascot is Brutus the Buckeye. Yes, our mascot is a nut from a tree. Oh, did I mention that those nuts are actually poisonous?
Alright, who knew that a recipe for candy buckeyes was going to turn into an Ohio history lesson, right? The more you know.
How do you make the perfect buckeye?
There are thousands of buckeye recipes on the internet and I bet a lot of them are very similar. Mix some peanut butter with powdered sugar and dip in melted chocolate. I mean, that’s the basic premise!
But, there are a few tips to ensure you make the most perfect buckeye around town. This also might be an Ohio thing because everyone claims to make the “best buckeyes.”
- Creamy Peanut Butter. This is kind of a given, but don’t use crunchy peanut butter! That would be crunchy and weird. You want your buckeyes to be smooth and delicious.
- Lots of Powdered Sugar. You want your peanut butter ball to be fluffy and kinda light which means you need powdered sugar to cut the peanut butter. Yes, they are pretty sweet but also pretty delicious so don’t worry about the sugar content here.
- Use a Cookie Scoop. If you use a cookie scoop (we have this one) then all your buckeyes will be the same size. Since you aren’t baking them, that’s not 100% necessary but everything similar sized just also looks nicer.
- Freeze the Peanut Butter Balls. Before you dip them in chocolate, toss them in the freezer to let them firm up a little bit. They will be way easier to dip that way.
- Use a Toothpick. That’s how you make them look like their namesake! Plus, the toothpick helps hold them while you dip them. Since they are a little chilled, it will hold tight to the peanut butter ball and shouldn’t fall into the chocolate.
Once you prep your peanut butter balls, you’ll want to put them on baking sheets before putting in the freezer. We have these ones that you can pick up on Amazon!
But wait … coffee in buckeyes?
Okay, so I know that traditional buckeyes are just peanut butter and chocolate … and a lot of powdered sugar. But, we wanted to spruce ’em up a bit and make these ones a little bit different!
You can really use any coffee! Just brew it and let it come to room temperature. You don’t want to mix hot coffee in there because it will melt the peanut butter and get a little wonky.
It makes the flavor just a little bit different and tasty, nothing super crazy.
For EXTRA deliciousness, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of the buckeyes as soon as you dip them. We actually used this chocolate flaky sea salt from Jacobsen and I just realized they no longer make it! Womp, womp. But, you can buy any of their infused sea salts here!
What are other delicious peanut butter and chocolate treats?
While buckeyes are definitely a fan favorite in this household, there are more delicious ways to enjoy this delightful peanut butter and chocolate combination. Here are a few recipes to enjoy!
- Peanut Butter + Chocolate Christmas Trees. These are copycat Christmas Tree Reese Cup’s and the are delightful.
- Buckeye Rollups. These are incredible and SO easy to make. Seriously, they have 3 ingredients.
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie. I haven’t made this pie in SO LONG. It’s super easy to make and super addicting. I made it for my Mom’s birthday one year, delicious.
Coffee Buckeyes
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
Buckeye Filling
- 3 cups Creamy Peanut Butter
- 5 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup brewed coffee room temperature
Buckeye Coating
- 8 oz chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee room temperature
- flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Prepare two baking sheets lined with silicone sheets or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the peanut butter filling by adding peanut butter, powdered sugar, melted butter, and brew coffee to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix with a hand or stand mixer until well combined and there are no lumps of powdered sugar.
- Using a cookie scoop (for evenly sized buckeyes), portion out buckeyes onto your lined baking sheets. Once you make them all, toss the baking sheets in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up.
- While your buckeyes are chilling, prepare the chocolate coating. Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave or by making a double boiler on the stove. If you melt in the microwave, melt for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time until completely melted. Careful not to let them burn.
- Once your chocolate is melted, add the brewed coffee and whisk until completely combined.
- Remove one baking sheet of buckeyes from the freezer and get ready to dip. Use a toothpick and stick it into the chilled peanut butter ball then dip half of it into the melted chocolate/coffee mixture.
- Set back on the baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Repeat with all peanut butter balls including the second baking sheet.
- Once the chocolate firms up, you can enjoy the buckeyes immediately at room temperature for about 2 weeks or you can freeze for several months!
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