Ohio State Buckeyes Recipe (2024)

Published: by Linda Warren

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This easy Ohio State Buckeyes recipe is a must for your holiday cookie tins. Sweetened peanut butter is rolled into a ball then dipped in melted chocolate to make the most mouthwatering candy for the season. A no-bake holiday treat that disappears faster than you can make it.

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I can't believe that I have never shared this recipe with y'all. What was I thinking? I've been whipping up this family favorite for over 30 years and no Christmas would be complete without them. And, they're so easy to throw together that anyone can make them. If you're like me, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a match made in flavor heaven. I've made everything from No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites to Peanut Butter Cup Cookies to a Buckeye Latte co*cktail and still can't get enough.

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Now, I bet you're wondering where in the world this Ohio State Buckeyes recipe got its name. (Hint, it's not from the football team.) It actually is derived from their resemblance to a buckeye nut, a small, shiny, dark brown nut that has a light tan patch and drops from a buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio. Hence why I people call them Ohio State Buckeyes. But no matter what it looks like, or where it's from, it tastes incredible.

Tips & Variations

  • Use a regular brand of creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter will not work as well as it contains too much oil.
  • You can replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
  • Adjustments you can make to the batter. If the buckeye balls are too sticky, add a bit more confectioner's sugar. In the advent that the balls do not hold together, add a little more peanut butter. If you follow the recipe, you should not have to adjust the quantities of either but a lot can depend on the peanut butter used.
  • These candies will keep up to 1 month in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

How to make

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  1. Gather the 6 simple ingredients - peanut butter, confectioner's sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips, flour, butter and vanilla extract.
  2. Combine the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract together.
  3. Beat until smooth.
  4. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar and flour.
  5. Blend until well mixed. Here is where you can adjust the batter if it is not holding together well. Add more peanut butter if the dough falls apart and add more confectioner's sugar if the dough is too sticky. I've made this thousands of times and the ratio should be perfect as is. However, the type of peanut butter you use could change the consistency so adjust as needed.
  6. Roll the dough between your hands to form balls.

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  1. Place the buckeye candy balls on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. They can be relatively close together as they will remain the same size. Chill.

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Melt the chocolate chips. The easiest way to do this is in the microwave. Place chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until just melted. It usually takes a minute or minute and a half.

  1. Spear a buckeye with a toothpick and dip into melted chocolate, covering about ½ to ⅔rds.
  2. Place on lined cookie sheet. Repeat until all are coated. Now smooth over the hole made by the toothpick with your finger. Chill to set.

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  1. Chilled Ohio State Buckeyes ready to be placed in cookie tins and shared with your favorite people.

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This Ohio State Buckeyes recipe creates balls of deliciousness that deserve a place in your Christmas cookie tins and upcoming holiday parties. And I'm warning you now, they are totally addictive and I suggest you make a double recipe because they go fast! I hope these bring a little sweetness to your holidays. Enjoy!

More easy Christmas candy recipes

Microwave Peanut Brittle is a quick & easy snack or homemade gift for the holidays. No more messy cooking & stirring on the stove, just pop it in the microwave. Plus, it cuts the time in half and comes out perfect every time!

Christmas Bark aka Christmas Crack is a crispy, sweet combination of chocolate, caramel and pretzels. Easy to make and totally addictive!

Stroopwafel Chocolate Fudge is a smooth, rich and creamy candy that takes just 10 minutes to make. All you need are 7 simple ingredients, a bowl and a microwave. Plus you can change up the flavor with your favorite liqueur.

Gingerbread Truffles are spicy bite-sized confections, not really a candy and not really a cookie, made of baked gingerbread mixed with cream cheese frosting, then wrapped in a blanket of chocolate. A drool-worthy sweet for the holidays.

Love quick & easy recipes? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter for all the latest recipe inspiration! Plus join my email list here and receive a free e-book.

Ohio State Buckeyes Recipe (8)

Ohio State Buckeyes Recipe

This easy no-bake Ohio State Buckeyes recipe is a must for the holidays. Peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate are an irresistible treat for the season.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 30 -36 buckeyes

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Linda Warren

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted

Instructions

  • Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper or parchment paper.

  • Beat peanut butter, butter & vanilla until smooth.

  • Gradually beat in sugar and flour until well blended.

  • Roll rounded teaspoonfuls into 1” balls. Arrange on prepared cookie sheets.

  • Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.

  • Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until melted smooth. It usually takes 60 to 90 seconds.

  • Spear one ball at a time with a wooden pick & dip into melted chocolate to cover about ⅔. Arrange chocolate side down on prepared sheets.

  • Smooth over toothpick holes.

  • Refrigerate about 30 minutes until chocolate is set. Store in tightly covered containers in refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Tips & Variations

  • Use a regular brand of creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter will not work as well as it contains too much oil.
  • You can replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
  • If the buckeye balls are too sticky add a bit more confectioner's sugar. If the balls do not hold together, add a little more peanut butter. If you follow the recipe, you should not have to adjust the quantities of either.
  • These candies will keep up to 1 month in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

More Christmas

  • Easy No Bake Grasshopper Pie
  • Peppermint Hot Chocolate
  • Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
  • Soft Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Icing
Ohio State Buckeyes Recipe (13)

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Ohio State Buckeyes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are buckeye candies made of? ›

Buckeyes are peanut butter fudge balls dipped in chocolate. Unlike classic peanut butter balls, a circle of peanut butter is left visible. The finished product resembles the nut that grows on the Ohio buckeye tree.

Are chocolate buckeyes an Ohio thing? ›

Buckeyes are similar to peanut butter balls (or peanut-butter-filled chocolate balls), which are completely covered in chocolate. Named for their resemblance to the poisonous nut of the Ohio buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio, this candy is particularly popular in Ohio and neighboring states.

Why is Ohio State called buckeyes? ›

BUT HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY OHIO IS CALLED 'THE BUCKEYE STATE'? THE NICKNAME IS PARTIALLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE BUCKEYE TREES THAT ONCE COVERED MANY AREAS OF THE STATE. RESEMBLING THE EYE OF A DEER, NATIVE AMERICANS CALLED THE NUT 'HETUCK' OR BUCK 'EYE'.

What does a buckeye taste like? ›

Buckeyes taste like peanut butter cups with an emphasis on the peanut butter! Not too sweet, really creamy, and so satisfying.

Can humans eat buckeye nuts? ›

Removing the shell and roasting the nut neutralizes its harmful tannic acid content and makes for a protein-packed snack. If not prepared properly though, buckeye nuts are toxic to humans, causing symptoms including weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, and death.

Can buckeyes be used for anything? ›

The Buckeye's Place in History. As well as the belief in the good fortune of its storied seed, the buckeye has been held to cure rheumatism and other, more minor ailments. Pioneering farm families also made soap from the kernels of buckeye seeds, and many a child's cradle was carved from the wood of this tree.

What is the most famous candy in Ohio? ›

The most popular Halloween candy in Ohio is Blow Pops with 171,607 pounds sold from 2007 to 2022, according to CandyStore.com.

Do deer eat Ohio buckeyes? ›

Do deer eat buckeyes? No, they don't. Buckeyes are poisonous to ruminants like cattle, so deer are not far behind. Buckeyes are also toxic to humans and many other animals, so you need to consider the drawbacks before choosing to cultivate them.

Are buckeyes only in Ohio? ›

Primarily a species of the east-central US. Var. glabra grows from western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and southern Michigan west to Illinois and south to Tennessee, Alabama, and rarely in Georgia, Mississippi, and states peripheral to the main northern range.

What was Ohio called before it became a state? ›

George Washington spoke these words in 1788 about the southeastern corner of what was then known as the Northwest Territory. This territory was made up of land that would one day become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota.

Why is Ohio State's mascot a nut? ›

Buckeyes. A small, shiny, dark brown nut with a light tan patch that comes from the official state tree of Ohio, the buckeye tree. According to folklore, the Buckeye resembles the eye of a deer and carrying one brings good luck.

What was Ohio State called before the Buckeyes? ›

The Ohio State University was established in 1870 as a land-grant university (then called the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College) under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1862. Instruction began in 1873 on a farm near Columbus. The name was changed to The Ohio State University in 1878.

What eats Ohio buckeye? ›

Squirrels are said to be the only animal to eat buckeyes without ill effect. All parts of the tree are toxic — leaves, bark and nuts — because of compounds that cause muscle weakness, paralysis, intestinal distress and vomiting. But squirrels somehow bypass the results felt by cattle, horses and other animals.

Are chestnuts and buckeyes the same nut? ›

The buckeyes and horse chestnut are not related to the edible chestnut (Castanea spp. Plant Family Hippocastanaceae Habitat Generally prefer rich moist soils, woodlands, etc., but some species have adapted to drier conditions. Horse chestnuts are frequently planted as ornamental shade trees.

Are buckeyes a southern thing? ›

The buckeye candy originated in Ohio (a.k.a. the Buckeye State). According to legend, sometime in the 1960s, Ohio resident Gail Tabor invented buckeyes while trying to dip peanut butter balls in chocolate.

What's the difference between real chestnuts and buckeyes? ›

Edible chestnuts are easy to tell apart from unrelated toxic species like horse chestnut or buckeye. Edible chestnuts belong to the genus Castanea and are enclosed in sharp, spine-covered burs. The toxic, inedible horse chestnuts have a fleshy, bumpy husk with a wart-covered appearance.

Are buckeyes from a tree edible? ›

The fruit from this tree is a little less appealing than an acorn but nonetheless edible. However, be warned that without proper leaching with hot water, the fruit is toxic.

Are buckeyes medicinal? ›

There are many different methods for processing and cooking buckeye seeds for food, depending upon the tribe. The seeds have medicinal properties and were cut into pieces, mixed with water, and made into suppositories for hemorrhoids by the Costanoan and Kawaiisu.

What kind of fruit is a buckeye? ›

But what exactly is a buckeye? The buckeye tree (aesculus glabra) is native to North America. In late summer and early fall, the trees bear fruit that contain a large nut. The nut gives the tree its name because it is dark brown with a light spot, resembling the shape and color of a deer's eye.

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