Healthy Buckeyes Recipe (5 Simple Ingredients)
These real food, healthy buckeyes are one of my favorite treats and they are always a hit at any gathering. With only a handful of simple ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time, they are so easy to make!
Growing up, buckeyes were a favorite holiday treat. But the recipe called for a ton of added sugars. I wanted to create our own variation with simple, real food ingredients, and cut that amount of sugar down as much as possible.
And boy, did this recipe deliver! These real food buckeyes contain healthier ingredients and are even more delicious, in my opinion.
These are perfect for the holidays (or any time of the year). There is no baking required, they only need a few minutes of hands-on time, and they are perfect for kids to help make.
Ingredients and Swaps in Healthy Buckeyes
Oat flour or Almond Flour – Both are great options and work perfectly in this recipe. To make oat flour, I use One Degree Sprouted and GF Organic Oats and blend them in our Vitamix until they turn into a flour consistency.
Peanut Butter – It’s best to find an all-natural peanut butter with the only ingredients being roasted peanuts and salt. Most peanut butters contain added oils and/or sweeteners so always check the ingredient label.
Maple Syrup – Instead of adding cups of powdered sugar, these healthier buckeyes just use a quarter cup of maple syrup. I love the flavor the maple syrup adds to these but honey would be a great option for a swap.
Chocolate Chips – Use your preferred chocolate chips in this recipe. Enjoy Life is a great brand for allergen-free chocolate chips, or the bulk chocolate chips from Azure Standard are another good option!
Coconut Oil – Because coconut oil is a solid at cooler temps, it works to create a hardening chocolate when added to the chocolate chips. We love the bulk coconut oil from Azure Standard.
Sea Salt* – Sea salt is an optional ingredient in this recipe depending on whether your peanut butter already contains salt. I like to add a little bit but, depending on how salty your peanut butter is, it may not be necessary.
How To Make Buckeyes
Start by collecting the ingredients for the peanut butter balls, oat or almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, and salt.
Measure out and place all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl.
Mix together thoroughly until no more flour is showing.
Form peanut butter mixture into balls about 1” in diameter.
Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This is an important step so that your peanut butter balls are nice and firm and don’t fall apart when you dip them into the chocolate.
While the balls are chilling, melt together chocolate chips and coconut oil.
Once the peanut butter balls are firm and the chocolate and coconut oil mixture is melted, carefully dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate. I found that using a fork works best for this but a toothpick can work as well. It’s best to work quickly so the peanut butter balls don’t get too soft.
After all of the balls are dipped and placed back on the lined cookie sheet, carefully use your fingers to close the holes made by the fork or toothpick.
Freeze again for at least 15 minutes before eating, until all of the chocolate has hardened.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Healthy Buckeyes Recipe
Yield: Roughly 18 Buckeyes
Ingredients:
– 1 cup oat flour (or 1 1/3 cups almond flour)
– 1 cup all-natural peanut butter
– ¼ tsp salt (if using unsalted peanut butter)
– ¼ cup maple syrup
– 1 cup chocolate chips
– 1 tbsp coconut oil
Directions:
1. Mix together the oat or almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, and salt for the peanut butter balls.
2. Form peanut butter mixture into roughly 1” balls.
3. Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
4. Freeze for 15-20 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until the peanut butter balls are firm but not frozen.
5. While the peanut butter balls are chilling, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil.
6. Once balls are firm and chocolate is melted, use a fork or toothpick to coat the peanut balls in the melted chocolate.
7. Place the finished buckeyes onto the lined cookie sheet. Once they are all finished, using your fingers, carefully close the holes from the fork or toothpick.
8. Put the cookie sheet back into the freezer and freeze for at least 15 minutes until the chocolate is fully hardened before serving.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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More of our favorite holiday treats:
Healthy Buckeyes Recipe (5 Simple Ingredients)
These real food, healthy buckeyes are one of my favorite treats and they are always a hit at any gathering. With only a handful of simple ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time, they are so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour (or 1 1/3 cups almond flour)
- 1 cup all-natural peanut butter
- ¼ tsp salt (if using unsalted peanut butter)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Mix together the oat or almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, and salt for the peanut butter balls.
- Form peanut butter mixture into roughly 1” balls.
- Place balls on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Freeze for 15-20 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until the peanut butter balls are firm but not frozen.
- While the peanut butter balls are chilling, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil.
- Once balls are firm and chocolate is melted, use a fork or toothpick to coat the peanut balls in the melted chocolate.
- Place the finished buckeyes onto the lined cookie sheet. Once they are all finished, using your fingers, carefully close the holes from the fork or toothpick.
- Put the cookie sheet back into the freezer and freeze for at least 15 minutes until the chocolate is fully hardened before serving.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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