Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls – An Easy Buckeye Balls Recipe

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls is an easy recipe for a plain peanut butter ball. These classic Christmas candies are also called Buckeye Balls because they resemble an Ohio Buckeye with a peanut butter center covered in chocolate.

Easy Buckeye Ball Recipe

For me, there is no other candy that screams Christmas more than old fashioned peanut butter balls. You might know them as buckeye balls, and that’s because these tasty little balls look like an Ohio buckeye straight from the Buckeye tree.

If you’ve never experienced the amazingness of a peanut butter buckeye, then I’m sorry, you haven’t really lived your life to its fullness. A peanut butter ball is the original Reese’s Cup. That’s a bold statement, but I stand behind it. If you love these buckeye peanut butter balls, check out our friend’s Buckeye Brownies recipe!

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls Ingredient List

A peanut butter ball is exactly as its name states – a little ball of sweet peanut butter candy dipped on three sides in semi-sweet chocolate.

• Peanut Butter, plain
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners Sugar)
• Butter, Softened
• Chocolate Chips, Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate
• Shortening

How many cups is in a pound of powdered sugar?

One pound of powdered sugar is equivalent to 3.5 cups of powdered sugar, also known as confectioner’s sugar. This is handy when you have a 2 pound bag of powdered sugar and your recipe only calls for 1 pound.

How many cups in 16 ounces of peanut butter?

2 cups of peanut butter equals 16 ounces. If your recipe calls for 16 ounces of peanut butter, and you have a larger container, you’ll need to measure out 2 cups of peanut butter. Be sure to use a measuring cup for solids. I recommend using a special measuring cup that easily pushes the peanut butter out like this one.

Plain Peanut Butter Balls

Our family friend Susan included plain peanut butter balls every year in her plate of Christmas candy that she dropped off around the holidays. Susan’s peanut butter balls are plain, meaning they are made without rice krispies, without graham crackers and without chopped peanuts or any other embellishment because they are perfect just the way they are.

These classic peanut butter balls rank right up there with Susan’s Cinnamon Glazed Pecans which resemble those delicious smelling mall nuts that you can’t resist buying as you walk by while shopping.

How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Step by Step Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together softened butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Roll into desired-size balls, and arrange on a pan.
3. Insert a toothpick into each ball or poke a hole into each ball using the same toothpick.
4. Chill mixture for 30 minutes in the fridge.
5. Melt together chocolate and shortening in the microwave at 30-second intervals or over simmering water using a double boiler.
6. Using a toothpick inserted into the pre-made hole, dip each peanut butter ball into melted chocolate, covering half to 2/3 of the ball. Shake off excess chocolate.
7. If desired, use the pad of your finger to patch up the hole from the toothpick.
8. Return to pan until set.

Storage Instructions

Store peanut butter balls on a layer or wax paper or parchment paper in an airtight container in a fridge.

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for classic peanut butter balls, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe Variations

• Stir in sweetened coconut or graham cracker crumbs to the peanut butter filling.
• Sprinkle seasonal colored sprinkles on the chocolate before it sets.
• Substitute milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips.

No Bake Peanut Butter Ball Recipe

There’s no baking involved in making these peanut butter buckeyes. The peanut butter filling is just a combination of plain, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and softened butter. Use a hand mixer or a large stand mixer, and cream the filling.  If your butter isn’t softened, the filling won’t come out right.

The next step gives you some flexibility. Do you want a small peanut butter ball or a hearty peanut butter ball? I tend to always fall on the hearty side. My candy and cookies are always a bit larger in size than those of my Grandma. Roll the plain peanut butter balls to your desired-size balls.

At this point, Susan inserts a toothpick into each ball and refrigerates for 30 minutes to chill. I didn’t have that many toothpicks on hand, so I poked a hole in each one using the same toothpick. This step helps when rolling the balls in chocolate later on.

You are also in control of the amount of chocolate on the classic buckeye calls. Some people only dip half the ball, others almost cover the entire ball.  I tend to dip about 2/3 of the way. If you dip more, you may need more chocolate!

Lastly, some people leave the little hole from the toothpick, while others use their fingers to fix the hole. They are great either way.

Recipe FAQs

• 16 ounces of peanut butter equals 2 cups.
• 1 pound of powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar) equals 3.5 cups.
• Be sure your butter is softened.
• If your powdered sugar is clumpy, sift it first.
• Crunchy peanut butter could be substituted for creamy, if desired.
• Make your buckeyes as big or as small as desired.
• Chill the peanut butter balls before dipping in chocolate to prevent the balls from falling apart in the warm chocolate.
• Depending on how much chocolate you put on your buckeye balls, you may need to make an extra batch of chocolate!
• You can leave the hole from the toothpick, or use your fingers to gently cover it or fill it in.
• Peanut butter buckeyes should be stored in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

Peanut butter is one of our favorite ingredients to use while baking. From no bake treats to cookies and pies, peanut butter is so versatile. We even use it in a sauce for one of our favorite chicken recipes – Thai Chicken Wraps with Peanut Butter Sauce. Check out some of our favorite desserts featuring peanut butter.

Rice Krispies Scotcheroos

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Old Fashioned Peanut Blossoms

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Layered Cheesecake Dessert