Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (2024)

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This Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe is a much easier version of the classic Christmas candy, Buckeyes. My 12-year-old did the biggest bulk of this easy fudge recipe and it was a major hit.

It is like a creamy peanut butter fudge with a delicious top layer of chocolate!

Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (1)

Trust me, you will be adding this Buckeye Fudge to your Christmas Candy making list for sure.

A million years ago, when Ricky and I first started dating. Well, we were about 2 months in. Anyway, I didn’t feel well. So, I was at his house, lying in his waterbed while he sat on the floor wrapping my Christmas presents. His Momma had made Christmas candy and brought us each a piece. I had never seen these chocolate peanut butter balls before. Oh my word! The Buckeye candy instantly became my all-time favorite Christmas Candy!

Flash forward a few years. We were married, I had children, I had my family Christmas Candy recipes down pat. I wanted Buckeye Candy and his Momma didn’t make it! So, I called my Mother-in-Law, got her recipe, and went to town. Three attempts later, I was still making these lumpy weird things. Apparently, I am not good at coating things with chocolate. I gave up.

Until…. wait.

I could get that same classic Buckeyes deliciousness without having to coat anything? Nearly 20 years into this marriage and I now have my very own Buckeye recipe – except, this is fudge and it is phenomenal! Even better than that? It is a super easy recipe! Really, the hardest part is probably when you get to the peanut butter mixture and have to stir until smooth. My arms got a little tired, but that is because I am lazy. LOL!

Table of Contents

Specialty Ingredients:

The following ingredients are affiliate links on Amazon because they may be a bit hard to find in your normal store. I wanted you to be able to see exactly which things we are using.

Sweetened Condensed Milk – I feel like this recipe ends up being all sugar. So, be aware, it is super rich… but oh so good.

Powdered Sugar – while the recipe only calls for 3 cups, be prepared to have more on hand. You are wanting to make an almost dough-like substance. For me, I had to do 4.5 cups to get the right thickness that I could “press” instead of just pouring out the peanut butter layer. Just make sure to add the powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time until the right consistency is reached.

Chocolate Chips – while this recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate, you can change the entire thing by changing the chocolate. Try dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate for a completely different dessert.

Vanilla Extract – The chocoholic in me will never understand why vanilla gets added to chocolate, but it really does enhance the fudge layer so much!

Reminder, not all ingredients in the Buckeye FudgeRecipeare linked above, just the ones that may be a bit difficult to find or that you might be unsure of what to look for.

Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (2)

Must Have Resources:

When making Buckeye Fudgeat home, you really need to have the following Amazon affiliate tools on hand.

Parchment Paper

Microwave Safe Bowl

9 x 13 Glass Dish

You can get a cake pedestal like the one pictured from Etsy. Here is my affiliate link to the Cake Stand.

Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (3)

Best Fudge Recipes:

Once you make this Buckeye Fudge Recipe, the kids are going to love it so much that they are going to start asking for even more fudge recipes. Don’t fret! I have picked out the best homemade fudge recipes for you to try.?

This Slow Cooker Fudge from Rainy Day Mum is going to be a game changer for your Christmas Candy making day!

You are going to love this Fudge Pie recipe from Simply Stacie!

I love this Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce from Crystal and Comp

Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (4)

More Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipes:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Fudge and Peanut Butter Poke Cake from Crystal and Comp

Reese’s Brownies

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups from Ruffles and Rain Boots

No Bake

Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (5)

Buckeye Fudge Recipe

Yield: 30 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Chill Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 22 minutes

Delicious, sweetened peanut butter layered with semi-sweet chocolate create a rich dessert that tastes like Buckeyes without the mess, double boiler, or dipping!

Ingredients

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, 2 sticks
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, have more on hand, just in case

CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER INGREDIENTS

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 11 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 T butter or margarine

Instructions

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER DIRECTIONS

  1. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add the peanut butter, 2 sticks of butter, and powdered sugar. Microwave on HIGH in 35 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until completely melted and smooth. Remove from microwave.
  3. Scoop the melted peanut butter mixture into the parchment lined pan. Press it out evenly with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (6)

CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER DIRECTIONS

  1. Add the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons of butter to a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 35 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until completely melted and smooth.
  2. Remove from microwave and stir in the vanilla extract
  3. Scoop the melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer and spread out evenly with a spatula. Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (7)
  4. Chill for 4 hours to allow the fudge to set.
  5. Cut into squares before serving and ENJOY!!

Notes

NOTE: To keep your buckeye fudge the freshest, cover with wax paper, foil or plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry place. I prefer to store mine in the refrigerator but you can keep it at room temperature, also. In addition, this fudge freezes really well (for up to 3 months).

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 30Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 259Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

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Buckeye Fudge Candy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Buckeye fudge? ›

Buckeye fudge is a little different from the traditional candy in that it is made of sweetened peanut butter and chocolate fudge, and the buckeyes only become visible once you've cut into it.

What is Buckeye candy made of? ›

Buckeyes are a confection made from a peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate to leave a circle of peanut butter visible. Buckeyes are similar to peanut butter balls (or peanut-butter-filled chocolate balls), which are completely covered in chocolate.

How do you keep fudge from being grainy? ›

The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.

Why is it called buckeye candy? ›

The buckeye candy resembles the nut of the buckeye tree, with a shiny, dark brown exterior and light brown "eye." The story goes that buckeye's name came from Native Americans who thought the glossy, chestnut-brown seed resembled the eye of, you guessed it, a buck (that's a male deer, for you city folk).

Where did buckeyes candy originate? ›

The buckeye candy originated in Ohio (a.k.a. the Buckeye State). According to legend, sometime in the 1960s, Ohio resident Gail Tabor invented buckeyes while trying to dip peanut butter balls in chocolate.

What do they call Buckeye Candy in Michigan? ›

Many Michiganders are Buckeye fans; that is, the traditional homemade candy in the Midwest called the Buckeye ball.

What is another name for Buckeye candy? ›

So, while the chocolate-covered, peanut butter candy may well be called moose eyes in the northeast, hereabouts they are called buckeyes.

What is the Ohio State candy? ›

Buckeyes are peanut butter fudge candy balls dipped in chocolate. They're called buckeyes because they look like the nuts that grow on Ohio buckeye trees.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Why won't my 2 ingredient fudge set? ›

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

What thickens fudge? ›

If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.

Should I stir fudge while boiling? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

Why did my fudge turn out like taffy? ›

If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).

Why is my old fashioned fudge not hardening? ›

If you didn't reach the correct temperature during the cooking process, it might not set properly. Use a candy thermometer to ensure that you reach the recommended temperature. Overcooking or Undercooking:Solution: Cooking the fudge for too long or too short a time can affect its texture.

What does buckeye brownie taste like? ›

Buckeye brownies taste like the classic candy, but better! My recipe is made with a chewy chocolate brownie base layered with peanut butter fudge and a chocolate topping.

What does Buckeye moonshine taste like? ›

Our Buckeye moonshine tastes like the candy of your youth. With rich milk chocolate flavor, followed by a creamy peanut butter finish; it's dessert for adults.

Is a buckeye a cookie or candy? ›

Buckeye candies are Ohio's official state candy. Due to the state's large production of buckeyes, they are a favorite snack of locals and travelers alike. But for those who are unfamiliar with this kind of confection, they might just be a bit strange-looking.

What's the difference between fudge and chocolate fudge? ›

Although fudge often contains chocolate, fudge is not the same as chocolate. Chocolate is a mix of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sometimes sugar and other flavorings and is hard and brittle. Fudge is a mixture of sugar, dairy and flavorings that is cooked and cooled to form a smooth, semi-soft confection.

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