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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes » No-Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

    No-Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

    Published: Dec 15, 2021 · Modified: Nov 11, 2022 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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    Pinterest Pin: 5 ingredient no bake buckeye bars in a stack of 3.

    It takes just 5 simple ingredients to make these No-Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars! They are rich, creamy, and delectable, and you don't even need an oven!

    Stack of 3 no bake peanut butter buckeye bars with a plate of bars in background.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Buckeye Bar Variations
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Recommended Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    Buckeye Balls are a famous treat from Ohio! Little balls of sweet peanut butter are dipped in chocolate. They look like the nut from Ohio's state tree, the buckeye tree! These chocolate peanut butter balls were a personal favorite of mine because I am a huge chocolate peanut butter lover! The trouble is that they are a pain to make! Good news! This easy Buckeye Bars recipe takes such little effort, it will become a favorite for all chocolate peanut butter fans!

    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    • Easy - You get the same great flavor of buckeye balls without having to spend time individually rolling each treat. It is so much less work and you end up with the same delicious treats!
    • Chocolate and Peanut Butter - They are like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups but in bar form! Kind of like the Christmas tree Reese's that have a high peanut butter to chocolate ratio! Another of my favorite chocolate peanut butter candies is peanut butter whiskey fudge!
    • Make Ahead - Buckeye bars will last in the refrigerator for up to a month and can also be frozen!
    • Great for Gifting - These bars can be cut into triangles or small squares to make more than a hundred candy-sized servings! They are a perfect addition to holiday candy boxes, and are also a hit at large gatherings!

    Here are some more no-bake desserts that you will love!
    Oreo Balls
    Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats
    Smores Rice Krispie Treats
    Dirt and Worms

    Ingredients

    Overhead labeled ingredients.

    Peanut Butter - Use regular creamy peanut butter like Jif or Peter Pan. If you use natural or homemade peanut butter then the peanut butter layer will not be as creamy.

    Butter - Salted or unsalted butter both work equally well in this recipe. Make sure that the butter has been softened to room temperature so that it blends well with the peanut butter and sugar.

    Powdered Sugar - Also called confectioners' sugar, powdered sugar sweetens the bars and also provides structure to the peanut butter layer. Some like to replace ½ cup of the powdered sugar with brown sugar, which adds a hint of molasses flavor.

    Vanilla Extract - Adds depth of flavor and makes these bars taste like you really worked hard to make them!

    Chocolate - A high-quality chocolate will make the best bars. I like Guittard or Ghiradelli chocolate chips. You can also use semi-sweet baking bars. Substitute dark chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer.

    Recipe Instructions

    Step One: Make the Peanut Butter Layer

    • Combine peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
    • This can be done by hand if you have a strong arm, but it is a very thick dough and much easier to do with an electric mixer.

    Step Two: Press Into Pan

    • Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. You could also use wax paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil. Make sure the sheet is large enough that you can grab it to remove the bars from the pan.
    • Press the peanut butter mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan with your hands.
    Collage showing steps of how to make buckeye bars, mixing in bowl and pressing in pan.

    Step Three: Make the Chocolate Mixture

    • Melt chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of butter in a microwaveable bowl by microwaving for about a minute and a half. Stir the chocolate about every 30 seconds.
    • Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer.
    • Use a beveled spatula to spread evenly.
    Collage- one bowl with chocolate chips and butter, the other with melted chocoloate.

    Step Four: Refrigerate the Bars

    • Place the bars in the refrigerator for about an hour to set the chocolate.
    • Remove the bars from the refrigerator and lift up on the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan.
    • Place them on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice them into squares. Wipe the knife off after each cut for clean lines. For triangles, cut each square across diagonally.
    Peanut butter buckeye bars cut with one piece pulled away.

    Buckeye Bar Variations

    • Thick Chocolate Layer - I prefer a thick layer of peanut butter with a thin layer of chocolate, but if you would like a thicker layer of chocolate then you can double the amount of chocolate used.
    • Sweetened Condensed Milk - For a fudgy chocolate layer, add a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk to the chocolate chips before microwaving.
    • Rice Krispies - Turn these into crispy buckeye bars by adding 4 cups of Rice Krispies to the peanut butter mixture.
    • Graham Crackers - Adding graham crackers make these a little more like cookie bars versus candy. Mix 1 ½ cups of fine graham cracker crumbs into the peanut butter mixture.
    Sliced bars on parchment with a plate of bars and jug of milk in background.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do I store Buckeye Bars?

    Refrigerate your Buckeye Bars in an airtight container and they will keep for up to a month!

    Can you freeze Buckeye Bars?

    Yes, Buckeye Bars freeze great! Place the cut bars in a single layer on parchment paper and freeze for one hour. Remove from the parchment and transfer to an airtight storage container or freezer bag. They will keep for up to 4 months. Thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

    Are Buckeye Bars gluten-free?

    Most Buckeye Bars are naturally gluten-free. However, some powdered sugar brands include a starch ingredient that has gluten. If you are sensitive to gluten then it is important to always check your labels.

    Why did my chocolate layer crack?

    If you try to cut the bars after the chocolate has fully set then it will crack instead of giving you straight lines. For best results, refrigerate your bars for 30-60 minutes then cut them into squares. Return the cut bars into the refrigerator for an additional hour, or until ready to serve.

    Can I half the recipe?

    Yes, cut each ingredient amount in half. The smaller version of this recipe will fit in a 9x9 square pan.

    Hand reaching in to grab a bar off the top of a stack on a plate.

    Check out the web story for these bars!

    Recommended Recipes

    • Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats
    • Brown Butter Toffeedoodle Cookie Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)
    • Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Maine Whoopie Pies Recipe

    Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind the scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!

    Recipe

    Stack of 3 no bake peanut butter buckeye bars with a plate of bars in background.

    No Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars

    Recipe by: Erin
    It takes just 5 ingredients to make these No-Bake Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars! They are rich and delectable twist on the traditional Buckey Balls, and are so much easier to make!
    5 from 27 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Setting Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Candy, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 26 large squares
    Calories 257 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened and divided (113 + 14 grams)
    • 2 cups creamy peanut butter (480 grams)
    • 3 ½ cups powdered confectioners sugar (420 grams)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks 12 ounces
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Place ½ cup of butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat using an electric mixer until smooth. The dough will be very thick and a little crumbly.
      ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened and divided, 2 cups creamy peanut butter, 3 ½ cups powdered confectioners sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Transfer the peanut butter dough into the pan. Press the dough firmly into the dish.
    • Add chocolate chips and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between intervals, until smooth (about a minute and a half total).
      2 cups chocolate chips or chunks
    • Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Carefully remove the bars from the pan by pulling up on the excess parchment paper, and transfer to a cutting board. Slice with a sharp knife.
    • Return to the refrigerator for at least 1 more hour, or until ready to serve.

    Notes

    Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
    Freeze in individual portions for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.
    Cutting: For best results, refrigerate the bars for 30-60 minutes before cutting. Do not allow the chocolate to fully set before you cut it, or it will crack.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Crystal Montes

      April 21, 2022 at 6:49 am

      5 stars
      This was my first time making these. I added graham crackers to the peanut butter mixture and they were delicious!!! I will be making them again for sure.

      Reply
      • Erin

        April 21, 2022 at 8:13 pm

        Thank you for sharing, Crystal! I am so glad that you enjoyed these bars!

        Reply
    2. Monika

      December 18, 2021 at 3:19 pm

      I was hoping to get some clarification as to the amount of peanut butter. You wrote: "2 cups creamy peanut butter (350 grams)"; however 2 cups of peanut butter weighs 480 grams (given that 1T is 15 grams). Given this discrepancy, should we use an actual two cups (480 grams) or 350 grams? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Erin

        December 18, 2021 at 4:50 pm

        Hi Monika! I am so grateful that you asked this question! The 350 grams was an error, as I was transferring my recipe notes into this recipe card!

        Reply

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