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Home » Dessert » Buckeye Balls (Peanut Butter Balls)

Published: November 25, 2018 Last Modified: March 10, 2019 By Sara 50 Comments

Buckeye Balls (Peanut Butter Balls)

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This recipe for buckeye balls is the classic peanut butter balls dipped in dark or white chocolate. A holiday treat that's both easy and energy efficient to make!

This recipe for buckeye balls is classic peanut butter balls dipped in dark or white chocolate and coated with sprinkles. An easy no bake holiday dessert!

Rich and creamy peanut butter balls are dipped in chocolate and decorated with festive sprinkles for a no bake treat that’s perfect for a special occasion. These buckeye balls make a great gift and are always a welcome addition to any holiday dessert table.

 Buckeye Balls Recipe | Peanut Butter Balls Recipe | No Bake Peanut Butter Balls | Easy Peanut Butter Balls | Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls #peanutbutter #balls #buckeyeballs #cookies #dessert #dinneratthezoo #nobake #nobakecookies

Buckeye balls dipped in dark and white chocolate with sprinkles.

The holidays are here and we are busy decorating, crafting and creating delicious treats! Our lights are up and I’ve made quite a few batches of these amazing peanut butter buckeye balls to give out to family and friends. These chocolate covered peanut butter balls are a classic holiday treat that I make every year. They’re a great project to do with the kids, my kids call it “peanut butter play doh” which is actually pretty accurate!

How to make peanut butter balls

All you need for these easy peanut butter balls are a handful of ingredients that you probably already have at home, like peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter. After the ingredients are initially mixed together, you’ll want to knead the peanut butter mixture with your hands to get all the powdered sugar incorporated so that you can form the peanut butter balls.

Peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.

Tips and Tricks for Buckeye Balls

  • I typically use a measuring spoon to portion out my peanut butter “dough” so that all of the balls are the same size.
  • The traditional way to do buckeye balls is to dip them in semisweet chocolate. I decided to mix things up a bit, and dipped half my balls in semisweet chocolate and the other half in white chocolate and holiday sprinkles. You can either use chocolate chips with shortening, or simply use candy melts, no shortening needed!
  • You can use whatever type of sprinkles you like, it’s fun to switch out the sprinkle colors to match whatever occasion you’re celebrating. Or you can leave off the sprinkles altogether, there are so many ways to decorate buckeye balls!

Peanut butter balls on a sheet pan.

How long do peanut butter balls last?

You can store peanut butter balls in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze your buckeye balls for up 2 months. Just be aware, if you choose to freeze your buckeye balls, when you thaw them, the chocolate may have a little condensation on it. That being said, they’ll still taste great!

Melted dark and white chocolate and sprinkles on a sheet pan with buckeye balls.

How do you dip peanut butter balls?

The easiest way to coat your peanut butter balls in chocolate is to stick a toothpick into each ball, then lower the ball into a bowl of melted chocolate. This works best if your peanut butter balls are very cold, so make sure you chill them first. You can use your finger to smooth over the little hole that the toothpick leaves behind.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls on a plate, decorated with holiday sprinkles.

Peanut butter balls are a classic treat that never goes out of style – I have been eating them as long as I can remember! There’s just something amazing about the peanut butter chocolate combo, and I urge you to try these with the white chocolate too, you won’t regret it.

More no bake treats

  • Microwave Caramels
  • Avalanche Cookies
  • No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
  • No Bake Nutella Cookies
  • No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Buckeye Balls Video


This recipe for buckeye balls is the classic peanut butter balls dipped in dark or white chocolate. A holiday treat that's both easy and energy efficient to make!
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4.86 from 7 votes

Buckeye Balls

This recipe for buckeye balls is the classic peanut butter balls dipped in dark or white chocolate.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings 20 buckeye balls
Calories 212kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 8 ounces chocolate chips or candy melts/almond bark can be dark chocolate, white chocolate or both
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  • optional: 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles

Instructions

  • Place the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated, then knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms.
  • Shape the dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on a sheet pan that's been lined with parchment paper.
  • Refrigerate the peanut butter balls for at least 30 minutes.
  • Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a medium bowl. If using 2 types of chocolate, place 4 ounces of each chocolate with 1 tablespoon shortening into 2 bowls.
  • Microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals or until melted. Stir until smooth and thoroughly combined.
  • Remove the buckeye balls from the fridge. Use a toothpick to pick up each ball and and dip it into the melted chocolate. Quickly roll the ball in sprinkles if using (optional). Repeat with each ball. Use your finger to smooth over the top of each ball to remove the mark from the toothpick.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!

This post was originally published on December 7, 2016 and was updated on November 25, 2018 with new content.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PG&E. The opinions and text are all mine.

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    Comments

    1. Karyn says

      December 5, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      My family always had these and now finally I’ve found your perfect recipe! So yummy!

      Reply
    2. Amanda Williams says

      December 1, 2020 at 9:06 am

      Hello! If your dough is crumbly and won’t form into a ball, how can you fix that? This is my first try at maki g these 😊

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 1, 2020 at 6:47 pm

        You can add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time!

        Reply
    3. Amy Wilson says

      December 15, 2019 at 4:39 pm

      Lol right…its never JUST one ball. Haha enjoy. Merry Christmas

      Reply
    4. Jamie says

      December 15, 2019 at 10:24 am

      If gifting, can they be put in gift bags that won’t be refrigerated?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 15, 2019 at 12:54 pm

        Yes that’s fine!

        Reply
    5. Judith A Casper says

      December 12, 2019 at 1:30 pm

      What is the best shortening to use.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 12, 2019 at 2:00 pm

        I use Crisco.

        Reply
    6. Amy Wilson says

      November 23, 2019 at 1:23 pm

      My mom made these every year when i was growing yp for as long as i can remember. I then continued making them each year at Christmas with my children, and grand children. It is a family favorite. Although im an empty nester now, i continue to make them. My mom and I mix icening sugar with the peanit butter to thicken them, then dip the whole peanut butter ball in chocolate… very yummy
      Merry Christmas everyone, and happy baking

      Reply
    7. Judie says

      November 10, 2019 at 4:09 pm

      I love these this way, but a relative, who is deceased put Rice Krispies in with the peanut butter and they were good that way. Ever hear of this?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 10, 2019 at 7:01 pm

        I have heard of it but I’ve never tried it myself!

        Reply
    8. Gail hoskins says

      October 15, 2019 at 5:10 pm

      I make three every year sometimes for no reason at all

      Reply
    9. Jennifer Wells says

      October 8, 2019 at 4:49 pm

      In the video, after a bite is taken, there is visibly two distinct layers in the ball. One is peanut butter and the other is a lighter creamier layer under the chocolate. What is that?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 8, 2019 at 9:14 pm

        There’s just peanut butter and chocolate, no extra layer!

        Reply
    10. veggielicious life says

      December 26, 2018 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      t’ve always loved buckeyes but haven’t had them in so long!! these turned out sooo good, such a great recipe <3

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 26, 2018 at 8:15 am

        So glad you enjoyed the, thanks for reporting back!

        Reply
    11. Brittany | HeyFlavor says

      December 6, 2018 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for a Christmas cookie recipes for my jobs Christmas party bake off and came across this recipe! Although these aren’t exactly cookies, I wanted to give them a try because they look simple to make and very delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe! Looking forward to making these for the party!

      Reply
    12. Blair villanueva says

      December 2, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      Peanut butter is an all time favorite at home. No wonder this recipe will be a huge hit, especially for my nieces.

      Reply
    13. Beth says

      December 2, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      How many balls make up a serving? Someone in my house is sugar sensitive so can only have one serving.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 2, 2018 at 1:36 pm

        It’s one ball per serving!

        Reply
        • Ellen says

          December 12, 2018 at 9:46 am

          Ahahaha! One ball!!! I’m still laughing 🙂

          Reply
      • June says

        December 25, 2018 at 4:18 am

        I would go with a sugar substitute. Check Amazon for THM sweetener blend of Trivia that’s good for baking. Also, lilyes sugar free chocolate and a natural peanut butter with no added sugar. They’re supposed to be very good. It may be worth the extra cost to avoid the sugar.

        Reply
    14. Nicole says

      November 30, 2018 at 8:07 am

      We love these in our house! My grandma made these every year for Christmas Eve. I can’t wait for them this year too!

      Reply
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