Easy Keto Peanut Butter Buckeyes Recipe - Sugar-Free + Gluten-Free (2024)

Are you ready for an easy no-bake treat with just a few ingredients? If so, these Keto Peanut Butter Buckeyes are perfect for you. Only 2.8 net carbs per buckeye, makes them a great low carb snack on the go.

This recipe is all because of my sister in law. Seeing that she is an Ohio State Buckeye fan I thought it was appropriate to make these in her honor.

I never knew what a buckeye even was, until she took me to the Bob Evans Farm Festival and bought me my very first buckeye.

Let me tell you…so so good!!! Small balls of peanut butter dipped in chocolate, what more could a person ask for??

What is a Buckeye?

You might be wondering the same thing I did before my eyes were opened, what is a buckeye?? Buckeyes are one of the easiest treats to make. They only have a few ingredients, and they don’t require an oven or stove to prepare.

They are small peanut butter balls that are chilled then dipped in chocolate, chilled again, then ready to eat!

Peanut butter buckeyes are dipped just enough so that they have a small circle on top undipped so the peanut butter shows. The top is left undipped so that it resembles a buckeye nut that comes from a buckeye tree, which just so happens to be Ohio’s state tree. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Can I Eat Peanut Butter Buckeyes on a Keto Diet?

You can eat peanut butter on Keto as long as there is no added sugar. Peanuts have a little bit of natural sugar from the nut itself, and that’s ok. Just make sure you read the label first. I like using Nature’s Promise Creamy Peanut Butter, but there are other natural peanut butter brands out there that are good too.

Now for the chocolate part. If you are using sugar-free chocolate such as Lily’s Chocolate or ChocZero then it’s Keto-friendly.

So in summary, yes you can have peanut butter buckeyes on a Keto diet!! Just follow my recipe below and you will have a great low carb treat!

What Ingredients are in Keto Buckeyes?

Peanut Butter – Use natural peanut butter, with no added sugar. Make sure you stir the oil into the peanut butter really well as it tends to sit on top.

Almond Flour – This is an important ingredient. It really helps to bind the peanut butter and powdered sweetener. In a traditional buckeye recipe, you would use a lot more powdered sugar, but in this Keto buckeye recipe, adding just a small amount of almond flour makes them perfect.

Powdered Sweetener – Powdered Swerve is what’s used in these buckeyes. But using Lakanto Monkfruit Powdered Sugar is a good option as well.

Dark Chocolate – I used Lily’s dark chocolate chips, they tend to be my go-to chocolate for my recipes and I like to have at least 1-2 bags on handy at all times. Another brand I have tried and liked is called ChocZero. It’s also sugar-free chocolate that can be used for baking or just eating and is available in several varieties.

Coconut Oil – Make sure to use refined coconut oil, and not extra virgin. The reason for that is that refined coconut oil does not taste like coconut oil at all, it’s tasteless. Extra virgin coconut oil has a very strong coconut taste, and in most recipes, it’s way too overpowering.

Is Peanut Butter Low Carb?

As I’ve already touched on above yes peanut butter is low carb and can be eaten on Keto. But as a side note peanuts are one of the higher carb nuts out there which is still ok, just don’t overdo it.

The main thing to look out for when buying peanut butter for a low carb recipe is to make sure that it is natural peanut butter and there is no added sugar.

What is the Lowest Carb Peanut Butter?

There are several low carb natural peanut butter out there. Always read the nutrition label first to ensure you are just getting peanuts, and no added sugar and other unnecessary junk added in.

Another fellow food blogger has come up with a great list of the 5 best low carb peanut butter. Check out her article:

The peanut butter I use is not on her list, because it’s a Stop and Shop brand and isn’t available throughout the country. But if you can get it, then I recommend it, especially when it’s on sale.

What is the Best Chocolate for Homemade Keto Candy?

I find that dark chocolate melts more smoothly and quickly. It’s easier to find sugar-free dark chocolate than milk chocolate when on keto, but I did just recently find a brand called ChocZero with milk chocolate options that are keto-approved.

Also, Lily’s Chocolate has recently come out with milk chocolate chips, I haven’t tried them yet, but I’m going to order them this week, cause my mom prefers milk chocolate over dark.

How to Make Keto Buckeyes

Making low carb buckeyes are pretty easy and don’t require a stove or oven. What takes the most time, is just waiting for them to chill. Let’s walk through just how to make Keto buckeyes.

Mixing the Dough

In a medium bowl combine the following 3 ingredients: creamy peanut butter, powdered sweetener, and almond flour.

Stir ingredients well. You might find it easier to use your hands if it doesn’t mix in well with a spoon. The consistency should be pretty thick, not runny.

Rolling the Buckeyes

I use a cookie scoop to form my peanut butter balls. But you can use a regular spoon if you want.

Simply just spoon your dough onto a cookie sheet that is line with parchment paper.

Once you’ve scooped out all of your dough, take each peanut butter ball and roll each one with your hands to make a round ball.

Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes. I err on the side of caution and prefer to leave it in the freezer for closer to 60 minutes to make sure that they are really firm before dipping them.

Melting the Chocolate

Melting your chocolate in the microwave is so easy:

Grab a small bowl microwave-safe bowl and add your chocolate chips and 1 tbsp of refined coconut oil.

Place in the microwave for 30-second increments, stirring in between.

Be careful when picking up the bowl, the edges might be really hot. Once the chocolate is completely melted, set aside for a minute or two.

How to Dip Buckeyes

Now that your peanut butter balls have been firmed up, now it’s time to dip them.

Stick each ball with a toothpick, then dip into the bowl of melted chocolate. Make sure to only dip ¾ of the ball, leaving a small portion on top uncovered to resemble a buckeye nut.

Place each buckeye back on to the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Smooth over the holes with your finger.

Place in the refrigerator until the buckeyes are firm.

Tips for the Best Buckeyes

• As far as your chocolate…if you really don’t like dark chocolate, then a tip you can do is mix half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate. It will cut the taste of the dark chocolate.
• Once you roll the peanut butter balls, stick each ball with a toothpick, then put them in the freezer. This is actually easier and prevents the ball from falling into the chocolate. This is a suggestion that I didn’t do the first time I made my buckeyes, but I did it the second time I made them and it worked really well.

Different Variations on this Recipe

This recipe doesn’t have many variations to it because, to be honest, it’s pretty perfect the way it is. But there are two variations I will give you:

1. Instead of almond flour, you can use coconut flour. This comes in handy if you have a tree nut allergy.
2. If you really don’t like dark chocolate (like my mom) then you can use milk chocolate for the coating instead. Lily’s Chocolate has just come out with Sugar-free Milk Chocolate Baking Chips. I haven’t tried them yet, but will very soon.

Other Diets This Recipe is Good for

Seeing that almond flour is added to these delicious homemade buckeyes, it makes them completely gluten-free!

But not only are they gluten-free, but there is also no dairy in them at all and are vegan. The chocolate chips I use are dairy-free and vegan. So in my opinion, these no-bake peanut butter buckeyes are truly a win for almost everyone.

How to Store Buckeyes

Don’t leave your sugar-free buckeyes on the counter or they will get too soft and will melt. Instead, put them in an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator.

They will stay nice and fresh for about a month…but honestly, I don’t think they will last that long without getting eaten first.

Can I Freeze Buckeyes?

Freezing buckeyes is also a good idea, especially if you choose to make a double batch. Put them in a Ziploc freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. They should last for about 3 months.

Freezing them is a great idea, that way you can just take one out at a time when you want a little sweet treat.

Low Carb Dessert Recipes:

If you’re in the mood for some other Keto-friendly Desserts, check out our:

• Keto Chocolate Fudge
• Sugar Free Peanut Butter Fudge
• Low Carb Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Apple Crisp
• Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• Keto Magic Cookie Bars

All of them are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will have your friends raving!

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