I remember the first time I made these Buckeye Bars. It was a chilly Sunday afternoon, and my kitchen was filled with that warm, nostalgic scent of melting peanut butter and butter, a smell that immediately felt like a hug. I was searching for a simpler, less fussy version of classic buckeye candy, something with all that iconic sweet-and-salty flavor but without the tedium of rolling dozens of little balls. The moment I took my first bite of the chilled, fudgy bar, I knew I’d found my new favorite treat to share. It’s the perfect combination of rich, creamy peanut butter and a glossy, snappy chocolate shell, all in a form you can slice and savor with zero guilt about sneaking just one more piece.
Ingredients
- For the Peanut Butter Layer:
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) salted sweet cream butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
A quick note on ingredients from my own trials: using salted butter is a non-negotiable for me. It cuts through the intense sweetness beautifully. For the peanut butter, stick with a standard creamy, shelf-stable brand like Jif or Skippy. The natural, oily kinds can make the layer too greasy and it won’t set as firmly—I learned that the hard way. And for the chocolate, good quality chips matter! They melt more smoothly and give that perfect glossy finish.(See the next page below to continue…)