Peanut Butter Buckeyes

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Gluten Free - Dairy Free - Refined Sugar Free 

Buckeye

PB Buckeyes

Prep: 10 min., Freeze/Cool Time: 15 min., Total Time: 25 min.

Makes: ~20

 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup cacao butter
  • 3 + 1/2 Tbsp. unrefined coconut oil
  • ~ 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
  • 3/4 cup unsalted, unsweetened organic peanut butter
  • 3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder/flour/starch
  • 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt

 

Directions: 

  1. In a double broiler over medium low heat, melt the cacao butter, 2 Tbsp. of coconut oil, and 3 – 4 Tbsp. maple syrup. Keep a close eye to prevent burning and stir to combine. Once all is melted and well-incorporated, remove from heat and whisk in the cacao powder.
  2. Set the chocolate mixture aside. Allow to cool and thicken for ~15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent clumping.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and 1 + ½ Tbsp. of softened coconut oil. Blend with a hand mixture until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add ¼ cup + 1 tsp. of maple syrup, arrowroot, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Mix with the hand mixer, gradually increasing the speed to high until all ingredients are well combined and thickened. Now you’re ready to roll (literally).
  5. On a parchment lined baking sheet, roll the peanut butter mixture into balls (~1 tsp. of mixture per ball). Once all of the balls are rolled, place the tray in the freezer for 5 - 8 minutes to solidify before dipping.
  6. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled and thickened, dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Cover each ball with a thick layer of chocolate (this is why it’s important to cool the chocolate or else it will be too runny and you’ll have to dip multiple times. Nobody has time for that). Once coated in chocolate, lay the ball onto the parchment-lined sheet. Place in the freezer for 10 – 15 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
  7. Remove from the freezer and assess whether or not some of the balls will need another coating of chocolate (you don’t want to see any visible peanut butter). At this point, I typically use the remaining chocolate to drizzle little squiggles over the holes. This covers the fork/toothpick dipping hole and makes a fun design on the PB balls. Return the balls back to the freezer for 1 - 2 hours to completely solidify the chocolate.
  8. Once the chocolate has completely solidified, place in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer (depends on how quickly you plan on eating them).

Pro Tips

PB Buckeye

Double Huh? Don’t sweat not having a double broiler. You can go the makeshift route like me! This contraption gently warms the chocolate, allowing you to melt your ingredients without burning on the direct heat of the stove. Simply pour ~ 2 inches of water into a pot then rest a heatproof bowl over the top of the pot. Heat the water, but make sure that it isn’t boiling, steaming, or sputtering into your heatproof bowl. This will ruin your chocolate if it comes into contact with moisture.

Prep: These can be made days in advance!

Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer with parchment paper layered in between rows.

Melty Factor: These are made with coconut oil and cacao butter, so these will melt if left at room temperature for too long. Be mindful of this before serving.

Swaps: If you do not have cacao butter and still want to make these, you can do so with equal amounts of coconut oil. Know that this will have a slight coconut flavor, be a much thinner chocolate consistency, and require multiple dips to coat the peanut butter. This is still tasty, but nowhere near the full effect of using rich and creamy cacao butter, which also helps maintain a solid chocolate for longer.

In the comment section below, let us know how your Buckeyes turn out!