Buckeyes

Buckeyes are another candy that I associate with the holidays. It was such a big production. Then again, my mom did most of her holiday baking in one day. I remember sneaking down to the basement to snitch one (or two!) from the freezer. I wasn't the only one. One year my sister made them mid-year just make them and we thought it was such a big treat. Growing up, we all loved them, and now Ray and the boys love them too.  Like fudge, I started making these when I was in college. They were a big production then too. Now, not so much. 

I cranked these out like it was nothing. I always, always, always use my stand mixer. The bowl has a 6 quart capacity and just barely holds everything in when it is mixing it up. Yes, I could halve the batch, but really, you may as well go for broke when making these. Everybody loves them. I think it helped that I used a cookie scoop that holds about a tablespoon. I just had to give the balls a light roll. I put the balls on a waxed paper lined baking sheet and popped them in the fridge to chill. After I finished all the peanut butter balls, I started dipping. I put the chocolate covered peanut butter balls back on the waxed paper lined baking sheet. C even helped me dip some.

Since it is cool outside, I set these on a shelf in the garage while I finished the rest of the batch. When the chocolate was set, I put them in an airtight container, with wax paper between the rows. I store these either in the refrigerator or freezer. I was done in less than 2 hours!

Using my tablespoon sized scoop, I got 181 Buckeyes. I probably would have had a few more but for the sake of quality control, we had to try the peanut butter mixture before we dipped it in chocolate.

My product testers said they aren't good, they're awesome! Santa loves to stop by our house, because these are always out for him on Christmas Eve.

Buckeyes


1 pound butter (must use butter), room temperature
3 pounds powdered sugar
2 pounds peanut butter
3 tablespoons vanilla
21- 24 ounces milk chocolate
1 bar Gulf wax


Mix butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Roll into balls. 


Melt chocolate and wax over double boiler. 


Dip peanut butter balls into chocolate, leaving a bald spot of peanut butter to resemble a buckeye. Set on wax paper until chocolate is set.