My dad graduated from The University of Ohio State - therefore, we are huge Ohio State Buckeyes fans! Buckeyes are the state tree of Ohio and they're also the mascot of our favorite sports teams! Oh, and they're a delicious chocolate coated ball of peanut butter. Perfect for game-day!
I've been making buckeyes candy for years, they're made with peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, and chocolate. And finally, I have crafted a vegan recipe that's a bit lower sugar yet just as delicious as the original!

Buckeyes Ingredients
- Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter in this vegan buckeyes recipe. Ideally, your peanut butter will be more thick and not very runny. I like the brand Earth Balance.
- Butter: To make vegan buckeyes, we will need to use softened vegan butter.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is what we use to sweeten and thicken the vegan buckeyes.
- Chocolates: To make the chocolate coating of the vegan buckeyes, we use dairy-free chocolate chips. I like the brand Enjoy Life.
How To Make Vegan Buckeyes
Making The Peanut Butter Mixer
Step 1: Mix the creamy peanut butter and softened vegan butter together.
Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and mix until a thick cookie-dough like texture is formed. If the peanut butter is not thick like cookie dough, then add another ½ to 1 cup of powdered sugar.
Step 3: Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Melting The Chocolate
Step 4: Microwave the chocolates with the remaining vegan butter until completely melted.
Step 5: Dip the buckeyes into the chocolate mixer and then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buckeyes are seeds of the Ohio Buckeye Tree. Buckeyes are also the mascot of The University of Ohio State. This peanut butter candy coated in chocolate is named after the tree nut for obvious reasons!
Traditional buckeyes are not vegan. But, with a few simple swaps you can make them vegan. Swap our the regular butter for vegan butter and the regular milk chocolate chips for vegan chocolate chips.
The tree nut, no! It can be toxic. The candy ... absolutely!!
Vegan Buckeyes (Reduced Sugar)
Equipment
- Electric Hand-Mixer
- Toothpicks
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Vegan Buckeyes
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoon softened vegan butter plus more for the chocolates
- 1 cup powdered sugar up to 2 cups to thicken
- 2 cups vegan chocolates
Instructions
Vegan Buckeyes
- Use an electric hand-mixer to mix the softened vegan butter and peanut butter together. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix until completely combined. The peanut butter mixer should be stiff, like a cookie dough. If your peanut butter was very runny, you may need to add more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
- Place the mixing bowl into the refrigerator and chill the peanut butter mixer for about 30 minutes. Freezing will speed up the chilling process.
- Once an hour has passed, microwave 2 cups of vegan chocolate chips + 2 tablespoon of vegan butter for 30 seconds. Be sure to use a microwave safe container. Carefully, remove the chocolate chips from the microwave, stir, and return to the microwave. Repeat this process until the chocolate has completely melted and is liquid.
- Remove the peanut butter mixer from the fridge and use your hands to roll the peanut butter mixture into 1 inch balls. Use a spoon or toothpick to dip them into the chocolate to make the buckeyes. Place the vegan buckeyes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all of the peanut butter is used.
- Place the vegan buckeyes in the fridge to cool and set for at least 30 minutes and keep them there until ready to serve.
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