Healthy Buckeyes Recipe

This Healthy Buckeyes Recipe is a dream come true. Made with chocolate, peanut butter, maple syrup, and other mouth watering ingredients, these vegan buckeyes are just too good. You can’t eat just one!

Deliciously healthy buckeyes

I’m a peanut butter cup kinda gal. Put me in a room filled with all of the different candies in the world, and I’m reaching for the mouth watering peanut butter cups!

With a love that strong for a classic chocolate and peanut butter combo, I’m sure you can guess that I’ve always loved buckeyes. I was absolutely blown away with the first bite! The peanut butter to chocolate ratio is larger than with regular peanut butter cups, which means they’re even better (because we all know that the peanut butter is the best part)!

What is a buckeye, exactly? Well, it’s peanut butter, almond flour, maple syrup, and some other ingredients rolled into a ball of absolute deliciousness. It is then dipped in melted chocolate! Mmmmm.

Trust me, I didn’t have to convince myself to put together a healthy buckeye recipe. When these treats crossed my mind, this recipe became a non-negotiable on my to do list. The results didn’t disappoint!

I love that these buckeyes are made with healthy ingredients but remain delicious and flavorful. That’s hard to achieve with healthy alternatives, but I’ve done it! If you love a good chocolatey, peanut buttery snack, you’ll love this healthy buckeyes recipe.

If you still need more peanut butter and chocolate combo recipes, try my Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread and Protein Peanut Butter Cups too!

Ingredients included in buckeye candy

I always seem to have a stash of almond flour and a jar of coconut oil on hand. Plus, I’ve got a huge sweet tooth, so there’s always a bag of chocolate in my pantry waiting to be transformed into a recipe! If the same goes for you, you probably have most (if not all) of these items in your kitchen already!

• Almond flour
• Peanut butter
• Salt*
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla
• Chocolate chips
• Coconut oil

* Salt is only needed with unsalted peanut butter.

Tools used to make peanut butter balls

Peanut butter balls are an easy snack to whip together that simply require a bit of mixing, rolling, and coating in chocolate. To make this recipe, there are just five items that you’ll need:

• Mixing bowl
• Mixing utensil
• Baking tray (or other flat surface to use for cooling)
• Small bowl (microwave safe)
• Fork

How to make this healthy buckeyes recipe

Peanut butter balls are an unbeatable treat perfect for quick snacking. You’ll be tempted to pop one into your mouth each time you walk through the kitchen!

Though buckeyes require a bit more “labor” than cookies, the extra attention and love is well worth it. The taste is like nothing else!

This buckeye candy will require about 15 minutes of actual prepping/work. Other than that, they just need time to chill in the refrigerator!

To begin making this peanut butter balls recipe, start by mixing the almond flour, peanut butter, salt*, maple syrup, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

When the ingredients are well combined (some lumps are ok), roll into balls. About 1 inch across is fine.

Refrigerate the balls for 30 minutes.

Next, in a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in 30 second increments in the microwave.

Once melted, use a fork to lower the balls into the chocolate, covering 2/3 of the ball. Lift back out and place on the tray.

Then, place the balls in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before eating.

Enjoy, and keep the extra peanut butter balls refrigerated.

How to make vegan buckeyes

If you’re looking to veganize this recipe, keep reading! Only one ingredient in this recipe’s lineup isn’t vegan: the chocolate chips. Luckily, they’re the easiest swap in the world. Just use dark chocolate chips (or another vegan type of chip) instead!

Yep, just switch up your bag of chocolate and you’ll be well on your way to vegan buckeye bliss. Here are some delicious vegan chocolate options.

Peanut butter ball recipe substitution options

Within this peanut butter balls recipe are a few ingredients that come with substitution options. If you’ve got certain ingredients on hand that you think you may be able to use, check this list!

• Peanut butter: You can use any nut butter in place of peanut butter including almond, cashew, or walnut! Use the same measurement, and your peanut butter balls will turn out just fine.
• Maple syrup: If you aren’t a fan of maple syrup, try using honey!
• Chocolate chips: If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you could use white chocolate chips for the coating! This makes an equally delicious treat that tastes just like a white chocolate peanut butter cup.
• Coconut oil: You can use any similar fatty oil in place of the coconut oil in this recipe. Canola oil is a common swap.

A healthier buckeye treat

The best part about this recipe is that the buckeyes are healthy. I intentionally chose these ingredients to make these buckeyes healthier than the standard recipes. These often consist of peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter, but not my recipe!

Here are the ingredients that make this buckeye candy next-level.

Almond flour
I pretty much always use almond flour in my sweet recipes. With a few exceptions, it’s always my go-to for its flavor combined with its nutritional properties! Almond flour is a good alternative for all-purpose flour as it’s lower in carbs and contains more protein and fiber.

Natural peanut butter
When selecting peanut butter, natural is best! I don’t like to consume artificial sweeteners, so I always choose all-natural nut butters. For this buckeye recipe, classic peanut butter works best!

Maple syrup
My favorite all-natural sweetener is maple syrup! You’ll see this ingredient pop up in many of my dessert recipes because it’s a wonderful item to use in place of sugar or other sweeteners. Healthy and delicious? I’ll take it!

Coconut oil
I use coconut oil in this recipe as an alternative to less nutritious oils, such as vegetable and canola. Most oils have a similar caloric content. However, coconut oil is packed with healthy fats and is a better option.

Tips for making unbeatable buckeye candy

Here are some tips that will help you make the most delicious buckeyes ever!

Don’t skimp out on the chilling
After forming the balls, it’s crucial to chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It can be tempting to go right to dipping, but this will result in a crumbly, melted mess. Nobody wants that!

The same goes for the post-dip chilling. After dipping the balls into the melted chocolate, they need to chill again. Do not skip this step! Give the buckeyes about 15 minutes to firm up.

Dipping the peanut butter balls
I recommend using a fork to dip the buckeyes into the melted chocolate, but you can also use a toothpick! To cover the holes that the toothpicks make, just lightly dab the top of the peanut butter ball to gently close it over.

Sprinkle with sea salt
Sometimes, adding a dash of saltiness to a sweet treat tastes just perfect! Try adding a *very* small pinch of sea salt to the top of a buckeye, and see how you like it! You may decide to do so for your entire batch.

How to store buckeyes
I recommend keeping these this healthy buckeyes recipe refrigerated to ensure that they don’t melt. Sometimes, just room temperature can make these a little too soft! Keep them in a securely sealed container, and make sure they’re in an easily accessible spot inside the fridge. My guess is that you’ll be reaching for these pretty often.

How to freeze buckeyes
Freeze buckeyes to enjoy at a later date. Place them in a freezer bag or other well-sealed container and enjoy within 3 months.

Some more dessert ideas for the chocolate peanut butter lovers

Chocolate and peanut butter is an unbeatable flavor combo. Here are some more recipes that feature the dynamic match! Hint: The fudge is absolutely to die for!

• Healthy Peanut Butter Pie
• No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
• Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Healthy Peanut Butter Fudge

If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!