Do you believe in love at first site? After seeing these babies, I do.
Buckeye balls are one of those treats that I had been eyeing up for far too long. I found myself lost in long debates (with myself) over whether or not to make these dangerous little treats.
You see, the simple combination of peanut butter and chocolate – who could resist? Rhetorical question. If you have a peanut allergy you probably already broke into hives and fled this post. For the rest of us though, bite size balls (giggle) of pure deliciousness await.
I wanted to make these because they are so darned easy – and because I’m so immature that I giggle every time I say the name. I didn’t want to make these unless I knew I had someone to hand each and every one off to the moment they were done. But once Captain America hit the movie theatres, I couldn’t resist. After all, Bucky is his best friend – my inner nerd did cartwheels.
“Bucky” balls made. Patsy found. Pounds far far away from me. It’s all good and now we can proceed with the recipe. 
Buckeyes
From Baked Explorations
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 14 graham crackers)
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 10 tbs (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 12 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 – 72%), coarsely chopped
Preparation:
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat on medium speed for 10 seconds. Add the confectioner;s sugar and butter. Beat at low speed for 20 seconds to prevent the sugar from spilling over, then gradually increase the speed until the mixture is completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again. The mixture will feel slightly dry. Set the peanut butter filling aside while you melt the chocolate.
In the top of a double boiler set over hot water, melt the chocolate, stirring frequently until it is completely smooth. Pour the chocolate into a small, deep bowl. Let it cool to tepid (about 10 degrees F, body temperature) while you shape the peanut butter centers.
Line a sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than 1 tbs worth of the filling and use your hands to form into a ball. (For uniform balls, use a medium-size melon baller or a very small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism.) Place he ball on the prepared sheet pan and repeat the process until all the filling has been shaped. The balls can sit fairly close to one another on the sheet, just make sure they are not touching.
One by one, using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate. Roll the ball around from side to side to cover almost the entire peanut butter center, leaving a small part uncovered. Manipulate the buckeye so that the dripping chocolate covered the holes made by the fork. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and return each chocolate-covered buckeye to the pan. Refrigerate the entire sheet pan for about 30 minutes to set the chocolate before serving.
I love it when a plan comes together.
My name is Kita. I am a 20 something girl geek and website/graphic designer who can rock an apron like there is no tomorrow. 
butter and peanut butter. oh goodness. I’d never make these I’d eat the whole pan without even rolling them lol well done
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How cuuute!!! All they need are little eyes and you have tiny heads instead of balls… forget the giggles … GUFFAW!!!!
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How come I never heard about these until I started following blogs?! I feel so left out! They look great!
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I’m in love…..
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What amazing pictures! These buckeyes look soooo good, I wish I could reach through the screen and gobble one up right now! Mmmm!!
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Aren’t those appetizing! I really really love chocolate and peanut butter too!
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Being an Ohio State Buckeye fan, I’ll let you in on a little secret to make dipping them, leaving an “eye” easier – once you roll the PB balls, insert toothpicks into each one and the freeze for at least 20 minutes. Then dip using the toothpick, leaving the “eye”. Place back on wax paper lined sheet and let set before removing toothpick. Smudge over the hole is desired.
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as a fellow Buckeye, I have to echo Erin’s advice – being from Ohio and growing up with these every year at Christmas time – it is way fun to dip them with the toothpick and then spin the excess chocolate off – And these are so heavenly! I just love them! My Cousin’s wife hates making the balls so she just makes them in squares like a brownie and puts the chocolate on top – either way you still get the same taste!
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These look fantastic – I don’t think I have ever had them before, but your right – who can resist chocolate and and peanut butter!? Will definitly be giving these badboys a go sometime soon! Thanks for sharing!
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These are an addictive treat. My mother makes these every year for Christmas. I hesitate to make them for fear I would eat way too many. Simply delicious.
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As a native Ohioan, I can say that I love that you posted this recipe! Your buckeyes look so delicious!
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Very nice..they look SO professionally done!
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I like the ones that are drizzled, not dipped. Because we’re Penn State fans, we prefer not to have any Buckeyes in our house. Yours are gorgeous.
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Hi Kita!! Buckeyes are one of my favorite treats during the holiday season! My mother makes them and they look slightly different from these but the same overall concept. They look fantastic!
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This dessert looks fantastic and, as always, I just love your pictures! Also wanted to let you know I’ve passed the Butterfly Award on to your fabulous blog! Have fun! xoxo
http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/2011/09/butterfly-award.html
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Indeed… plans do not go as planned.. But when it does, it always feels like you’re on the right track, at last
Those look like they could have more finger licking…
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I LOVE Buckeyes! I only ever get them at Christmas time, but I hoard them all to myself!
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Now THERE’S some balls I could eat.
Heh heh he.
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My husband is from Ohio, so I have to make these!
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Oh, those are some of the prettiest buckeyes ever!!! I could eat that whole bowl…so yummy and addicting~
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I’m making it my mission to try these before the year ends. Yours look super addictive.
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I LOVE buckeyes and will pick them every time at a candy counter…but I’ve never made them…. Thanks for this awesome post!
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I grew up eating Buckeyes and they are still a favorite treat when I am back in the Midwest–love your version!
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Oh my, these are just so over the top good. You are a genius. Love them, want them, must make them!
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I’ve never made buckeyes but I’m pretty sure if I did I’d eat the whole batch by myself! Yours look fantastic.
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This might be one of my favorite things ever! I love the combination and these are so adorable, Kita!
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I gotta say, these are the prettiest buckeyes I’ve ever seen! I don’t know if I would be able to stop eating them…yum!
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Thanks for having a recipe that doesn’t include wax. I’ve been wanting to make these for a long time, but all the recipes I’ve seen have wax in them. Nasty!
Janis
http://www.janiscooks.blogspot.com
http://www.cookiesbyjanis.blogspot.com
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I have had my eye on this recipe for a while! I haven’t tried them yet because I wasn’t too sure about the graham cracker crumbs…but they look incredible! I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio (Go Bucks!) and we make buckeyes almost every Saturday during football season.
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I’m liking the drizzle in place of the dip.
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Oh no! Now I can’t wait to make this! These babies are gonna be my new addiction!
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i love all these miniature! these are too cute!
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Nummy…..the drizzle of chocolate instead of a coating makes these so easy. Great candy.
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As a native Ohioan, I’m a lifelong Buckeye eater. As a purist, I’d hesitate to call your version “Buckeyes,” as, to me, a Buckeye is only a peanut-butter ball dipped in chocolate, only to leave the top open to resemble the actual buckeye nut. BUT I would say that your chocolate-drizzled peanut-butter balls look beautiful and delicious
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Go Buckeyes, Congrats on Top 9!
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These guys are stunning!! I think I’m actually weak at the knees… totally my flavors all put together. Love it!
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95% of my family (with the exception of my parents and I) live in Ohio, so I’m plenty familiar with Buckeyes. And I love them. What’s not to like?
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Congrats on Foodbuzz top 9.
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I love peanut butter. Plain a simple. I will sometimes eat peanut butter by the spoonful for a snack with a cold glass of milk. YUM! Thank you for the recipe. It seems very easy and straight forward. I am sure I will enjoy these in the near future.
Crystal
Drop Biscuits Recipe
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From Iowa originally but yeah, like others have said, we made these entirely covered in chocolate except for the “eye” part. These are more elegant looking, less eyelike. But still good.
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WOW, those are so very visually stunning!!! I bet they are delish with a glass of milk too!
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These look great! Can you freeze them?
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I’ve never had official buckeyes before, but I think that mostly means I haven’t added graham cracker crumbs to my peanut butter balls. I do love peanut butter and chocolate though, and I love the addition of cream cheese in this recipe! The buckeyes are gorgeous, and look ridiculously tasty!
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Oh goodness, I could not be trusted around a plateful of those!
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I just found you from Eat Yourself Skinny and I love it. Except… I am a little jealous. I tried making these over the holidays last year and even though they tasted amazing, they looked AWEFUL! They were too big and the dipped chocolate just looked weird. Yours look so tasty, i love it!!!
Your news follower-
Laura @ A Healthy Jalapeño
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Kita Reply:
September 26th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
Welcome to PtS! Want to know why they aren’t all dipped in chocolate? For the same reason you said – they looked horrible! I couldn’t get the hang of it at all! I finally gave up and just decided to drizzle the chocolate over top! I hope you come back for seconds.
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YUMMY. That is all.
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