We Gave Everyone’s Favorite Homemade Candy an Allergy-Friendly Upgrade

‘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 sunflower butter.

It packs just as much protein and fiber as traditional nut butters (including peanut butter and almond butter), but with less saturated fat. Plus, it’s bursting with essential micronutrients such as magnesium, vitamin E, zinc and iron, making it just as nutritious at is it delicious.

I used 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?!

Sunflower Butter Buckeyes

The process of making the buckeyes is very simple–the centers are made with a combination of sunflower butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, and a little salt. Scoop about 2 teaspoons of the dough and roll into balls. Chill the 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 sunflower butter 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 buckeyes!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

SunButter Buckeyes

This SunButter Buckeyes recipe has everything you love about the original, minus the peanuts so they're allergy-friendly.

Prep Time20 mins

Rest Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 50 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 30 candies

Author: Emily Caruso

Cost: $12

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper

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.
  

Notes

Melt chocolate in a bowl that is deeper than it is wide for easy dipping.

Store leftover buckeyes in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 5 days. Buckeyes can be stored for longer in the freezer.