Buckeye Bars

This chocolate and peanut butter dessert tastes delicious and full of flavor. It is my favorite combination and always makes the best dessert. These buckeye bars are rich, creamy and decadent.

During the holidays we love making no bake desserts and this one has become a family favorite. These bars are similar to Buckeye balls but cut into bars. f you love Reese’s peanut butter cups, then you care going to love these no bake peanut butter bars. You must try this recipe if you like these Buckeye Bars, Buckeye Pie.

What is a Buckeye?

Buckeye is named for the Ohio buckeye tree because they look like the nut on the tree. While everyone can certainly enjoy this delicious treat, it is more regional to the Ohio area of states. Southern states tend to make traditional peanut butter balls.

They are all very similar and taste delicious.  It just comes down to really how much of the peanut butter is covered in chocolate. That is the only the difference.

Buckeye treats can be made in many different ways. The chocolate and peanut make the perfect treat.

Why We Love Buckeye Bars

• Simple Ingredients – All you need is a few simple ingredients and you probably have them in your pantry.
• Easy to Make – We love making these bars because of how easy they are to make. No need to roll into the balls, when you can spread into a baking dish.
• Perfect Combination – Peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite combination. They are rich, creamy and the perfect holiday treat.
• Prepare Ahead of Time – The holidays are busy with baking and cooking. So these desserts are great to prepare ahead of time. If you are looking for the perfect holiday treat to put on your holiday dessert trays. These are the ones to make.

Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variation Ideas

• Sprinkles – Top the peanut butter balls with sprinkles for a fun and festive treat. We have even mixed them in with the peanut butter for texture and flavor.
• Sea Salt – For a sweet and salty flavor, top with sea salt before serving.
• Chocolate – Feel free to use different types of chocolate chips. We have used semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
• Graham Cracker Crust – If you prefer you can place a graham cracker crust with graham cracker crumbs. You can mix with melted butter to make the ultimate buckeye treat. You can crush the graham crackers with a food processor.
• Chocolate Ganache – You can easily add chocolate ganache to the top of the melt in your mouth bars. We recommend using quality chocolate when making this recipe.
• Chocolate Layer – Feel free to make these bars with a thicker chocolate layer. If you want a thicker layer, just double the melted chocolate ingredients.
• Rice Krispie Treats – If you want a crunchy texture, mix in 4 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal. We love the way it adds so much flavor.

How to Make Buckeye Bars

• Step 1 – Prepare Baking Dish – Line a 9X13 baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2 – Combine Ingredients – In a large bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer.  The mixture will be thick and a bit crumbly. 

Step 3 – Press Mixture – Use your hands to press the mixture down into the bottom of the 9X13 pan.  

Step 4 – Melt Chocolate – Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.

Step 5 – Spread Chocolate Mixture – Spread the chocolate mixture evenly on top of the peanut butter layer in the pan.  

• Step 6 – Rest – Allow to sit at room temperature until the chocolate is fully set. 
• Step 7 – Serve and Enjoy – Then the bars are ready to cut, serve and enjoy.   

Recipe Tips

• Prepare Pan – We recommend lining the baking dish with parchment paper. This helps for clean up and to easily remove the bars from the baking dish.
• Peanut Butter Treats – Mixing the peanut butter mixture in a bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer. This mixture will be thick so it is easier to mix with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
• Melting Chocolate – Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals. We like to heat with coconut oil to get the perfect consistency.
• Rest Bars – After adding the melted chocolate to the top, allow the bars to rest. We recommend resting at room temperature instead of placing in the refrigerator.
• Cutting Bars – We recommend cutting the bars with a sharp knife on a cutting board. You can easily cut the bars in different size depending on how you are serving the bars.
• Natural Peanut Butters – We recommend using regular peanut butter when making this recipe. Natural peanut butters do not hold up as well as regular peanut butter.
• Butter – We recommend using salted butter to make this recipe. Make sure before combining ingredients that it has softened to room temperature.

Can I Make Ahead of Time?

Yes, these buckeye bars are best to make ahead of time. You can easily prepare up to a week and store in an airtight container.

Can you Freeze Buckeye Bars?

If you prefer, you can freeze these Buckeye Bars. Prepare the buckeye bars as directed and cut into squares. Then place on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour.

Remove the frozen bars from the baking sheet and place in a freezer safe container. Place in the freezer and they will stay fresh for about 4 months.

Flash freezing the Buckeye Bars allows you take out the amount that you need to serve.

We recommend doubling the batch and freeze half of them for a last minute holiday party.

How to Store Leftovers

Cover leftover bars tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week. We love to cut into small square for a quick chocolate fix.