Buckeye Balls: Candy Recipe

Anyone from Ohio knows that aside being the mascot for Ohio State, and a type of tree that has a nut that looks like this.

A buckeye is also a delicious peanut butter and chocolate candy that looks like this.

As long as I can remember my mom made these every Christmas.  Once I started going to Ohio State, I started making them to take to football parties.  Now that  football season is over, and it is time for Christmas, I found myself in the kitchen today dipping peanut butter balls.  Although they are simple and straight forward to make, they do require a bit of time for rolling and freezing the peanut butter balls.  They are, however, entirely worth it.

To get started, allow a half of stick of butter to soften to room temperature.  Then mix it in a kitchen mixture until it is smooth.

Add a couple of cups of peanut butter.  Don’t use the all natural, separating style of peanut butter.  A smooth, creamy, homogenized type works best.  If you spray the measuring cup with some non-stick spray first, the peanut butter doesn’t stick and is much easier to get out of the cup.

Mix until the butter and peanut butter are well mixed, and smooth.

Now add some powdered sugar one cup at a time.

until you have a very thick, and crumbly peanut butter mixture.

Finally grab a small scoop,

and a comfy place to sit, and get ready to roll some peanut butter balls.  Using the scoop will allow the balls to be uniform in size, which will make the dipping easier.

Scoop some peanut butter mix into your hand

Then roll it into a smooth ball

Continue this process until all the peanut butter mix is turned into little balls and placed on a tray.  If you can recruit some help for this stage, please do, as it can feel like a small eternity while you sit there rolling balls. Once you finish, place the tray into the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the balls are frozen solid.

Once the peanut butter balls are frozen, but before you take them out of the freezer, grab a couple of bags of chocolate candy melts.  I use the Wilton in both dark and light cocoa.  I can’t make up my mind which I like best.

Melt the candy melts, with a teaspoon of vegetable oil, in a small dish.  I use a liquid measuring cup and the following method:  microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power, stir, and repeat until candy melts no longer hold their shape.  For one bag, it took 3 iterations in my microwave.

Before melting began

After first 30 seconds.

This is after the second 30 seconds.

After the third 30 seconds.

After mixing the third 30 seconds.

Once the candy melts are completely melted, add more vegetable oil if needed to thin the chocolate to a good consistency.  I had to add 2 teaspoons to get mine to where I could pick up a spoon and have it run off easily.

Perfect dipping chocolate.

Taking out 6 peanut butter balls at a time from the freezer, place one on the end of a toothpick and quickly dip it into the chocolate, leaving a small portion uncovered, and place it on a piece of wax paper.

Repeat this process until all peanut butter balls have been coated.

The chocolate candy sets within minutes.  The candies can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator or freezer.  Enjoy!

Buckeye Balls

Prep Time: 1 hour, plus 40 minutes for freezing Cook Time: 30 minutes for dipping  Servings: 3-4 dozen

Ingredients

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened

2 cups creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)

4 cups powdered sugar

2 bags of Wilton light or dark cocoa candy melts

6 tsp vegetable oil

Preparation

Line baking sheets with wax paper

Beat peanut butter and butter in a large mixer bowl until creamy.  Beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until mixture holds together and is moistened.  Shape into 1-inch balls;  place on prepared baking sheet and freeze for 30-40 minutes.

Melt the candy melts with 1-3 tsp of vegetable oil in a small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on 50% power for 30 seconds; STIR.  Repeat until candy melts are just melted, and no longer hold shape.  Add additional oil if necessary to obtain desired consistency.  I used 3 tsp of oil per bag of candy melts.

Dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate using a toothpick, leaving a small portion of the center uncovered.  Shake off excess chocolate and scrape bottom of the candy on the side of the bowl.  Return candy to baking sheets until chocolate it set.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.