This healthy buckeye candy recipe takes the original old fashioned recipe and makes it easy and healthy! With just a few simple ingredients like peanut butter, chocolate, oat flour and honey, you have the same homemade buckeyes with less sugar and calories. The best holiday treat made in just about 45 minutes!
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Chocolate peanut butter balls - aka buckeye cookies are a staple at our Christmas dessert table. Since we love the old fashioned version so much, I wanted to create a buckeyes candy recipe that had low sugar.
With many of the same ingredients as these copycat perfect bars, I knew this buckeye candy recipe would be a hit! With just 5 ingredients in total, this will be a dessert treat you will want to enjoy year round!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The best Christmas treat to add to a cookie table or gift to a friend. We also love our mini banana bread loaves for consumable gifts!
- No bake, easy and quick to make in just 45 minutes!
- Lighter version of the old fashioned recipe with less sugar, less calories and fewer ingredients.
- This healthy and simple buckeye candy recipe is made without paraffin wax, no powdered sugar and no corn syrup. 3 ingredients of peanut butter, chocolate and oat flour and add in some honey to sweeten if you would like!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Peanut butter: I like to use natural peanut butter like Smucker's or Georgia Grinders, however Jif or Skippy work really well too! Generally I make this buckeye candy recipe with smooth peanut butter, however crunchy works well too if you prefer it. Almond butter or sun butter may also be used to make it allergy friendly.
- Chocolate: I used Enjoy Life dairy free dark chocolate chips. You can also use Nestle milk chocolate morsels, your favorite melting chocolate or almond bark.
- Honey: If you are using natural peanut butter, there is no sugar in it. If you want to make the buckeye candy sweeter, add in the honey. Alternatively, you can leave it out or use Monk Fruit or stevia for a no sugar buckeye candy recipe.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step by step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. Exact cook time and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Combine oat flour, peanut butter and honey in a large bowl.
- Use a 2 tablespoon measuring spoon or a small cookie scoop to scoop out approximately 28 balls.
- Melt chocolate and coconut oil if using in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Place balls one at a time into the chocolate using a toothpick to move around to coat most of the ball.
- Use a fork to gently place the buckeye candy onto a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper. Allow to freeze for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips & What You Need to Know
- Variations: Add in some Rice Krispies or graham cracker crumbs for a bit of crunchy texture.
- Yield & Doubling: This buckeye candy recipe makes about 18 balls. To make a large batch you can double or even triple the recipe.
- Keto: To make these keto, substitute oat flour for almond flour and use monk fruit or stevia in place of honey.
- Vegan: To make vegan, substitute honey for maple syrup. Also, use vegan chocolate for dipping.
- To make buckeyes round: The chocolate tends to harden with a little extra rim around the bottom. To make the balls round, use a small biscuit cutter to cut off the excess chocolate.
- To remove toothpick holes: Use a toothpick to easily move ball around chocolate. To fill in any holes, use the tip of the toothpick to add in leftover dough or to gently close in the holes. Alternatively, you can leave the holes, it's much easier that way!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Recipe FAQs
They may be left out or served at room temperature, however I recommend storing in the refrigerator. If you use coconut oil to help melt the chocolate, I highly recommend refrigerating as the coconut oil tends to melt quickly.
This recipe freezes extremely well. You can make them ahead of time and freeze until you are ready to serve. Place frozen candy in the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to serving. Frozen candy may store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
You can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
3 ingredients of peanut butter, oat flour and chocolate are the base of this recipe. I like to add honey to slightly sweeten them and some refined coconut oil to help melt the chocolate.
There are approximately 155 calories per serving of this healthy buckeye candy recipe. The full nutrition can be found in the recipe card below.
Healthy Buckeye Candy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup oat flour
- ¾ cup chocolate chips Enjoy Life if dairy free, Lily's if Keto
- 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil optional
Instructions
- Combine oat flour, peanut butter and honey in a large bowl.
- Use a 2 tablespoon measuring spoon or a small cookie scoop to scoop out approximately 28 balls.
- Melt chocolate and coconut oil if using in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Place balls one at a time into the chocolate using a toothpick to move around to coat most of the ball.
- Use a fork to gently place the buckeye candy onto a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper. Allow to freeze for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Variations: Add in some Rice Krispies or graham cracker crumbs for a bit of crunchy texture.
- Yield & Doubling: This buckeye candy recipe makes about 18 balls. To make a large batch you can double or even triple the recipe.
- Keto: To make these keto, substitute oat flour for almond flour and use monk fruit or stevia in place of honey.
- Vegan: To make vegan, substitute honey for maple syrup. Also, use vegan chocolate for dipping.
- To make buckeyes round: The chocolate tends to harden with a little extra rim around the bottom. To make the balls round, use a small biscuit cutter to cut off the excess chocolate.
- To remove toothpick holes: Use a toothpick to easily move ball around chocolate. To fill in any holes, use the tip of the toothpick to add in leftover dough or to gently close in the holes. Alternatively, you can leave the holes, it's much easier that way!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months in the freezer.
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