‘Tis the season for cookie baking and candy making! Who doesn’t love a cookie platter brimming with a variety of sweet treats? Being from Ohio, not a holiday season goes by that I don’t encounter our beloved buckeye candies. Buckeye candies are traditionally made with peanut butter, but having a daughter with a peanut allergy has dictated that we re-think some family favorites over the years.
Since our daughter’s peanut allergy diagnosis 6 years ago, we were put in a position to find other safe options for classic peanut butter–not only for lunch time sandwiches, but for baking, too. Our favorite go-to has always been SunButter®.
In addition to a taste the whole family will enjoy, SunButter packs just as much protein and fiber as traditional nut butters (including peanut butter and almond butter), but with less saturated fat. Plus, SunButter is bursting with essential micronutrients such as magnesium, Vitamin E, zinc and iron, making it just as nutritious at is it delicious.
SunButter comes in several varieties such as natural, no sugar added, and organic. I decided to use SunButter Organic to whip up a batch of classic buckeye candies to serve after our Sunday family dinner. We had my parents and Grandma over and I knew they would love a platter of these sweet little candies. Who wouldn’t?!
SunButter Buckeyes
The process of making the buckeyes is very simple–the centers are made with a combination of SunButter Organic, melted butter, powdered sugar, and a little salt. Scoop about 2 teaspoons of the dough and roll into balls. Chill the SunButter balls until they are firm.
Use a toothpick to help dip each buckeye into a mixture of melted organic dark chocolate and a touch of coconut oil, leaving a bit of the filling showing through to resemble the nut of the buckeye tree. Place the dipped candies in the refrigerator for a short time until the chocolate is set.
The results are incredible! I love cooking and baking with SunButter because the flavor and smooth texture work perfectly in all my recipes that traditionally call for peanut butter. It has been a staple in our house for years and will continue to be for years to come–as will these SunButter buckeyes!
SunButter Buckeyes
Prep
Inactive
Total
Yield 30 candies
Ingredients
- 1 cup SunButter Organic
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Add SunButter, powdered sugar, and melted butter to a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed with a paddle attachment until dough starts to come together. Add in vanilla and salt and beat until combined.
- Scoop dough by 2 teaspoons at a time and roll into balls. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes).
- In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each time, until chocolate is melted and glossy.
- Poke a toothpick into the top of a chilled SunButter ball and dip in melted chocolate, leaving some of the SunButter filling showing at the top of each candy. Place on parchment paper and chill until firm.
- Store leftover buckeyes in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Melt chocolate in a bowl that is deeper than it is wide for easy dipping.
Buckeyes can be stored for longer in the freezer.
wow!! wow!! wow!!wow!!wow!!wow!! This looks SO good! This looks amazing. Like real…
I definitely have to make the recipe.
Thanks for this article
Emily, this recipe is just awesome! I’ll try it in my Christmas vacation.