An easy recipe for protein-packed peanut butter candies dipped in dark chocolate. They’re perfect for the holidays—or any time you get a craving for PB!
One of my grandmothers moved from Ohio to our little California town when I was 8 years old, and for every Christmas after that, she drove over to our house shortly after 6 am (or eventually around 9 am, after my brother and I graduated from college and sleeping in sounded more appealing than ripping off wrapping paper before dawn…) with a grocery bag or two full of presents.
She brought gifts for the four of us, along with my mom’s parents, who had flown in from sunny Arizona to spend the holidays with us as well. She usually passed them out partway through the morning, after we had dug through our stockings and called our aunt in Colorado to thank her for that year’s Legos, dark chocolate, and Denver Broncos t-shirts. (My family is full of sports fans!)
Although what lay underneath her festive wrapping paper generally varied year to year, I always looked forward to the three metal tins decorated with Santas and snowflakes she handed us: a medium one for Dad, a small one for Mom, and a huge one for my brother and me.
During the days leading up to Christmas, she spent lots of time in the kitchen making sweet treats. Dad always received crunchy butterscotch cookies; my brother and I found super soft, almost cake-like sugar cookies decorated with red and green sugar crystals on top in our tin; and Mom opened hers to see a few dozen buckeyes.
That tradition continued for around ten years, until Grandma started to slow down and couldn’t spend as much time on her feet cooking and baking in the kitchen, which also happened to be about the time Mom discovered her peanut allergy. (All of a sudden, I didn’t feel so guilty for sneaking so many of her homemade Christmas candies from Grandma!)
This year, it’s becoming harder and harder for all of my different grandparents to travel, so I thought it’d be nice to carry on the tradition one more time when we’re together during the holidays. But… You know me and that I put a healthy spin on just about everything, including these 4-Ingredient Protein Buckeyes!
For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, buckeyes are candy! They’re traditionally made with a peanut butter, regular butter, and powdered sugar filling that’s dipped in melted chocolate. The candies are named because they look like the nut of the buckeye tree.
To make your healthier buckeyes, you’ll start with peanut flour instead of peanut butter. Peanut flour is made from finely ground peanuts that have been partially defatted, so it contains a lot fewer calories and fat compared to peanut butter. Thisis the kind that I buy because the only ingredient is ground peanuts! Other brands sold in grocery stores commonly contain sugar and flavorings, so check the label before you purchase. (I buy mine from Amazon!)
To the peanut flour, you’ll add cashew milk and sweetener. I love cashew milk because it’s thick, creamy, and only 25 calories per cup! I use it in many of the recipes I bake for those same reasons. However, any milk will work in this recipe, including almond, soy, and dairy-based milk.
As for the sweetener, you’ll use vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly. It’s also very concentrated, so a little goes a long way! I use SweetLeaf’s vanilla crème stevia, which comes in a small bottle with an eyedropper. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (You’ll use it in all of these recipeson my blog, too!)
Note: If you’re sensitive to the taste of plain stevia, I highly recommend that you try this vanilla crème version! Stevia generally has a bitter aftertaste to me, but I don’t detect it with this liquid variety.
Mix those three ingredients together, and then roll the mixture into 24 small spheres. They don’t have to be perfect! Place them on wax paper as you go, and when they’re all rolled, melt your dark chocolate in a small ramekin. Anywhere from 72% to 85% will work for these candies—just pick whatever you prefer!
To coat the buckeyes with chocolate, gently insert a toothpick into the top of each peanut butter ball, pressing it down almost as far as it’ll go. Swirl it around in the ramekin, carefully shake of any excess, and place it back on the wax paper. Ease the toothpick out, and let the chocolate coating harden for about 20-30 minutes. Then you’re done!
Chocolate + peanut butter = bliss ♥
| 4-Ingredient Protein Buckeyes | 4.1 from 10 reviews |
Yields: 24 buckeyes
These candies are so easy to make—and even easier to eat! It’s hard to resist their sweet peanut butter filling dipped in rich dark chocolate. The buckeyes will last for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- 1 cup (120g) peanut flour (I used Protein Plus)
- ½ cup (120mL) unsweetened cashew milk
- ½ tsp vanilla crème stevia
- 4 tbsp (56g) chopped dark chocolate
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Add the peanut flour to a medium bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour in the cashew milk and stevia. Stir until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 24 balls, and place each ball on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add the dark chocolate to a small microwave-safe ramekin. Microwave on HIGH for 15-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each one, for 30-45 seconds or until all of the chocolate has melted. Be careful not to overcook the chocolate!
- Working with one peanut butter ball at a time, press a toothpick into the center until it goes all the way through. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate, and shake off the excess. Place the ball back onto the prepared baking sheet, and slide the toothpick out. Repeat with the remaining peanut butter balls and chocolate. Let the chocolate on the buckeyes set for at least 20 minutes before serving or transferring to an airtight container to refrigerate.
Notes: It’s important to work quickly, especially when dipping the candies in chocolate! The peanut butter balls will dry out if left on the counter for too long.
Other brands of peanut flour may be substituted. However, the only ingredient should be “peanuts” for the best results. I cannot guarantee that almond flour will work as a substitute.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the cashew milk.
I do not recommend substituting any other type of liquid sweetener in place of the vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is very concentrated, so anything like maple syrup or honey would add too much moisture to the buckeyes. If substituting a granulated sweetener, you’ll need the equivalent of ¼ cup of sugar, and you may need to adjust the amount of milk.
{vegan, gluten-free, low fat, low calorie, low carb, sugar-free, high protein}
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