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Get ready to make the Best Keto Buckeyes – rich, peanut buttery, and chocolatey without the sugar rush. These low-carb treats are designed to satisfy your cravings for classic buckeye flavors using keto-friendly ingredients, so you can enjoy creamy peanut filling and a smooth chocolate coating while staying on track.
Perfect for holidays, parties, or a fun snack at home, this keto buckeye recipe is easy to mix, roll, and dip, then chills up into the kind of bite that feels totally indulgent just without the carbs. Buckeyes are considered lucky – so these delicious peanut butter and chocolate versions must be a bit lucky too, right?
We have a lot of readers on Sweet C’s who have asked us for more information in their recipes – and plenty who’d like to get straight to the cooking.
To better serve both audiences, we’ve loaded this post with information to make our loyal readers feel confident in the kitchen – while also adding a “skip to recipe” button in the top left corner, and a clickable table of contents below – so you can get straight to the information you need.
How to mAke Keto Peanut Butter Balls
If you love homemade peanut butter balls or peanut butter cups, you know how rich and flavorful they can be when made from scratch. These candies are called buckeyes for their similar resemblance to buckeye nuts – since they are dipped in chocolate and only a small circle on top remains uncovered – sort of like the eye of a buck!
Keto Buckeye Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- All natural peanut butter (for keto, we use Justins natural, if not making keto, we use Jif) – all natural peanut butter is a good choice for making low sugar or keto desserts, as it generally doesn’t include processed sugar. Look for brands with lower carbs and less sugar!
- Salted butter – softened salted butter brings a rich, creamy flavor to these candies, a perfect fat composition so they melt in your mouth, and a perfect texture!
- Vanilla extract – vanilla gives a perfect home-baked flavor that is nostalgic and lightly sweet.
- Confectioners swerve – confectioners sugar is normally used in buckeyes, but in the keto version, swerve is the perfect swap for flavor and texture – it has a lighter sweet flavor, blends perfectly, and acts as a binder!
- Lily’s semisweet chocolate chips (if not keto, you can use chocolate wafers for easiest melting) – semisweet chocolate chips without added sugar are essential for keeping sugar and carbs down – while giving the classic chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with peanut butter!
- Coconut oil – coconut oil gives a hint of shine to buckeyes, so they look like they just came from the candy store!
Steps to Make Keto Buckeyes
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you will use the following method:
- Mix. Add the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla to a large bowl or stand mixer and cream together for 30 seconds. Sift the Swerve or powdered sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth.
- Chill. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll & shape. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and portion the peanut butter mixture out with a medium cookie scoop and roll into balls.
- Chill. Place them on the cookie sheet and chill in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Dip. Just before removing the balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate an coconut oil in a wide glass on 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted. Use a toothpick to spear the balls and dip them in the melted chocolate. Use a fork to help remove the toothpick from the ball and place back on the parchment paper. Use your finger or a paring knife to lightly cover the hole from the toothpick.
- Set. Allow to set until the chocolate hardens.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Buckeyes
How to store buckeyes. Buckeyes are popular in part because how easy they are to make – and how long they last – making them a great make-ahead treat for Christmas cookies, parties, or just to have on hand for when a craving strikes.
- Buckeyes are best when consumed within two days if not refrigerated or frozen.
- Refrigerated buckeyes, kept in an airtight container, can last up to two weeks.
- Frozen buckeyes kept in an airtight container can last up to four months.
Use the double boiler method. Using a double boiler (or a small pan, nested into a larger pan with water in it), add chocolate and bring the water in the bottom pan to a boil, stirring the chocolate as it melts. Make sure to add the coconut oil to help make the chocolate smooth, easy to dip, and extra shiny! Don’t overcook chocolate, or it will seize up – and be sure to stir frequently to prevent burning. To buy a double boiler, click here.
Use the microwave melting method. If you’d like to save time, or don’t have a double boiler or pans you can nest, you can microwave this chocolate to melt as well. Microwave chocolate or chocolate wafers in 30 second bursts, and stir in between each burst, to prevent chocolate from burning. Often chocolate melts around the bottom and the sides – and will burn if microwaved again – when a simple stir could’ve melted the remaining solid chocolate.
Easy Cookies and Candies You’ll Love
If you’re not watching carbs and love these easy buckeyes, be sure to check out my other easy cookies and candy recipes – simple, delicious recipes that are great as Christmas cookies or bake sale cookies – or just anytime you need a sweet treat!
To see even more tasty treats, please visit our dessert recipe index.
You can find more of our favorite keto recipes and keto desserts here.
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The Best Easy Keto Buckeyes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup all natural peanut butter, for keto, we use Justins natural, if not making keto, we use Jif
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3½ cups confectioners swerve, if not keto, use powdered sugar
- 3 cups lily’s semisweet chocolate chips, if not keto, you can use chocolate wafers for easiest melting
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Add the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla to a large bowl or stand mixer and cream together for 30 seconds.
- Sift the Swerve or powdered sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth.
- Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and portion the peanut butter mixture out with a medium cookie scoop and roll into balls.
- Place them on the cookie sheet and chill in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Just before removing the balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate an coconut oil in a wide glass on 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted.
- Use a toothpick to spear the balls and dip them in the melted chocolate. Use a fork to help remove the toothpick from the ball and place back on the parchment paper.
- Use your finger or a paring knife to lightly cover the hole from the toothpick.
- Allow to set until the chocolate hardens.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Some all natural peanut butters can be runny – if your peanut butter balls are too runny, you can stir in up to two tablespoons coconut flour to help thicken. Try to mix natural peanut butter well so it is smooth, like a more processed peanut butter.
- If you use chocolate wafers for the regular/full sugar version, omit coconut oil.
- There will be excess chocolate remaining since you need to be able to dip these balls almost fully without covering the tops, so you need the chocolate to be deep enough at all times for the balls to sink in.
- Don’t let the balls sit out too long before dipping because they can start to sweat and it will make it hard for the chocolate to stick.
- Do not freeze for more than 30 minutes prior to dipping. Place in the refrigerator if not ready to dip.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Buckeye FAQ’s
Buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator can last up to two weeks.
Buckeyes in an airtight container can last up to four months in the freezer.
Buckeyes are peanut butter balls, dipped into chocolate, with a tiny bit of the top left un-dipped – resembling a buckeye.
We used Justin’s All Natural peanut butter – but any peanut butter with no added sugar will work.
We found Lily’s semisweet chocolate chips work best – but any without added sugar will work.
We use Lakanto Powdered Monkfruit or Swerve Confectioners sugar as a direct replacement for powdered sugar.
