Vegan Buckeye Candy Recipe

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4.86 from 27 votes

Buckeye Candy is a classic with sweetened peanut butter and chocolate being the winning combination.

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 15

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings Candies

Calories 122kcal

Author Ginny McMeans

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Creamy peanut butter
½ cup Dairy-free butter - softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 ½ cups Organic powdered sugar
12 ounces Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons Vegan vegetable shortening - or solid coconut oil

Instructions

Line baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar until well combined
Shape into 1 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and shortening. Heat for 1 minute, stir and continue heating for 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating and stop just before all chocolate is melted. Stir until completely melted.
Remove 3-4 balls at a time from the freezer, leaving the others in the freezer until ready to dip
Using a toothpick, dip balls into melted chocolate, covering about ¾ of the ball. Shake off excess and place on a prepared baking sheet, With your fingertip or knife tip, smooth over the hole from the toothpick.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Or freeze for up to 3 months

Video

Notes

Peanut butter –peanut butter is a staple of buckeye candy. Use classic creamy peanut butter for the amazing texture. I do not recommend the crunchy peanut butter as it will mess with the texture. Also, do not use natural peanut butter, as the buckeye candy may be too oily.

Dary-free butter – non-dairy butter is essential for creating a rich and creamy texture. I used salted butter, but you can use the unsalted version too. Take note that salt gives a balance to sweet candies.

Vanilla extract – as you already know, vanilla extract enhances the flavor of every dessert and sweets in general.

Organic powdered sugar – organic powdered sugar makes the buckeye candy sweet, but also helps us stabilize the mixture and allows us to roll it into the balls. Use powdered sugar for a smoother buckeye candy. The granulated sugar may give a gritty texture.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips – choose the trusted brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The coating is an important step in making buckeye, so it is a good idea to have the best chocolate possible. You can melt the chocolate in a microwave or over the stove.

Coconut oil – coconut oil or vegetable shortening is added to the chocolate to make it more runny. This runny chocolate will give you a nice thin coating for your buckeye. Also, runnier chocolate means easier dipping of the buckeye.

Recipe tips:

Add your powdered sugar gradually. If you add it all at once, it will be harder to incorporate it into the peanut butter and the batter will become too dry and unmanageable.
When it comes to storing, you can store the buckeye in the fridge, in an airtight container, for at least two weeks.
The buckeye candy can be stored in a freezer too. Place them in a freezer-friendly container, and store them for several months. To serve, just set them at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Nutrition