This recipe for healthy vegan buckeyes is a wholesome twist on a classic treat! Each ball is high in protein, thanks to chickpeas and peanut butter, and low in sugar while still tasting delicious. They make a great dessert or snack to keep in the fridge or serve for the holidays!
Chances are you’re familiar with buckeyes if you clicked on this post, but just in case you aren’t, I’ll give you a rundown! Buckeyes are a type of confection made from sweetened peanut butter balls dipped in melted chocolate to resemble the buckeye nut. They originated in Ohio, where the state tree is the buckeye.
As a peanut butter and chocolate lover, I think buckeyes are such a delicious treat! I didn’t really know about them until I moved to the Midwest, but now I love when I get to have them as part of a holiday dessert spread. So this year, I decided to make a Veg World twist in the form of vegan buckeyes! I just had to add some extra plant foods.
Instead of using butter and powdered sugar, I made the peanut butter balls with chickpeas, oats, and maple syrup. They’re similar to my Chickpea Cookie Dough Balls and Healthy Freezer S’mores Balls in that they still have lots of delicious peanut butter flavor but with some extra nutrition!
Since they’re higher in protein and fiber and lower in sugar than traditional buckeyes, I enjoy them as a snack or dessert. They totally satisfy my afternoon sugar craving while giving me a boost of more sustained energy. PS – this recipe is kid-friendly too!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Peanut butter: Use a creamy peanut butter made with just one ingredient (peanuts) or two ingredients if it’s salted (peanuts and salt). I love the Kirkland Organic and Trader Joe’s Organic brands. A creamy, natural PB is key to giving the vegan buckeyes a similar consistency to those made with butter.
- Chickpeas: You’ll need a 15-ounce can of chickpeas, but you can substitute other white beans, such as navy beans, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Old fashioned oats: These help the mixture stick together. Use gluten-free oats if you need them.
- Maple syrup: Feel free to substitute honey.
- Vanilla extract and salt
- Chocolate chips: Use some labeled as dairy-free/vegan, such as the Enjoy Life brand, to keep the recipe vegan. I like to use semi-sweet chips.
Instructions
The full recipe card, including ingredient quantities, is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you as you make vegan buckeyes.
Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips to a food processor.
Blend until smooth. The batter will be thick and sticky. At this point, you’ll want to refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes to make it easier to roll.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.
Dip each ball in the melted chocolate, using a fork to coat the sides until the ball is about ⅔ of the way coated and resembles a buckeye.
Expert Tips
- Equipment recommendations: For best results, use a food processor to make vegan buckeyes. You can also use a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix.
- Making them without a food processor: If you don’t have either of these tools, try mashing the chickpeas by hand and then adding the rest of the ingredients. Use oat flour instead of whole oats if you have it or just add the oats whole if you don’t mind pieces of them in the balls.
- Preventing the chocolate from hardening while dipping: The melted chocolate may start to get firmer while you are dipping the balls. To prevent this from happening, you can try a couple of things. One, keep the bowl of melted chocolate in a larger bowl of hot water while you are dipping so that it stays warm. Two, add a teaspoon of melted coconut oil to the chocolate.
Storage
Keep vegan buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, let the balls thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before enjoying.
More Healthy Treats
- Easy Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes (with sweet potato!)
- Avocado Chocolate Frosting
- Almond Flour Ginger Cookies
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Vegan Buckeyes
Equipment
- Food processor or high-powered blender
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas - drained and rinsed; about 1.5 cups
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - marked as vegan/dairy-free
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas, peanut butter, oats, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to a food processor. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth. The batter will be thick and sticky.
- Remove the blade from the food processor bowl. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to chill so that it gets easier to handle and less sticky. After chilling, remove the bowl from the fridge and prepare to roll the balls.
- Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring between each one, until melted through. If you don't have a microwave, you can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a glass bowl placed over a couple inches of boiling water in a saucepan.
- Put a piece of wax or parchment paper on a tray and set aside. Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture and roll into a ball with your hands. Place the ball in the bowl of melted chocolate and use a fork to push it around until about ⅔ of it is covered and it resembles a buckeye. Transfer the ball to the tray with wax paper. Repeat until you have made and dipped all of the balls. (See notes for tips on keeping the chocolate from hardening while dipping if needed.)
- Put the completed buckeyes in the refrigerator to finish hardening. This usually only takes about 10 minutes.
- Sink your teeth into one, and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Preventing the chocolate from hardening too quickly: Place the bowl of melted chocolate in a larger bowl of hot water to keep it warm. Or you can stir in a teaspoon of melted coconut oil, which will stop the chocolate from hardening too quickly.
- Storage: Keep the buckeyes in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, but remember to let them thaw for 10 minutes so they aren’t frozen solid when you try to eat them.
GMS
Made these buckeyes and had to make another batch. Husband said they tasted like a Reeces peanut butter cup. I drizzled the choloate over them rather than dunking them in the chocolate because it was less messy for me. I was thinking about rolling them in crushed nuts, what do you think? The other thing is that you eat 1 and your hunger disappears and the stomch was very satisfied 😊
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe and made them twice! I agree they taste like Reese’s, ha! Rolling in crushed nuts would be delicious. Let me know how they turn out if you try it!