Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (2024)

Published · By Anna Chesley · 23 Comments

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Looking for an amazing (and easy!) Paleo Buckeyes recipe? This one covers all the bases! It's easy, healthy, and even tastier than the "real" versions we all grew up with. This is our family's hands-down favorite paleo Christmas cookie!

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (1)Pin

I have an aunt who is an absolute goddess of all things baking. We're not kin by blood, but I swear - whatever baking knack I might have probably came from her.

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (2)Pin

As a kid, one of the highlights of the Christmas season for me, was the much-anticipated yearly platter of cookies that she'd bake up. It was always a different assortment of various heavenly treats. But I think I was about 5 when I started praying that each year's platter would contain her famous buckeyes. Even then, I think I knew this probably bordered on heresy. But cookies are cookies.

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (3)Pin

I'll never be so brash as to claim any buckeye of mine could withstand a showdown with those mythic orbs from my youth. But these are awfully darn good. And of course, they're paleo. So they're peanut-free, grain-free, and sweetened with honey. And they're still darn good.

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (4)Pin
Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (5)Pin

There's a lot of variation in size, when it comes to buckeyes. I've seen people make these things golf-ball sized or larger. But personally, I like to err on the petite side. I think it maximizes the perfect ratio of dark chocolate to buttery goodness.

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (6)Pin
Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (7)Pin

Speaking of butter, I call for cashew butter in the recipe, because I think it's pretty hard to beat for taste and texture. Unless (oh, baby!) you feel like splurging on some good raw macadamia nut butter. Now there's a sumptuous holiday treat! But if cashew's not your thing, and macadamia is too pricey, then good old almond butter works absolutely fine.

📖 Recipe

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (8)Pin

Best-Ever Paleo Buckeyes Recipe

This easy-but-decadent Paleo Buckeyes recipe covers all the bases! It's quick to make and even tastier than the "real" versions - hands-down our family's favorite paleo Christmas cookie!

4.95 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas cookies, paleo recipes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

chilling time plus time to fully set: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Calories: 80kcal

Author: Anna Chesley

Equipment

  • baking sheet

  • parchment paper

  • toothpick or skewer

  • spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashew butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons golden flax meal
  • 6 ounces good dark chocolate

Instructions

Nutrition Facts

Best-Ever Paleo Buckeyes Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 80Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 7mg0%

Potassium 44mg1%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 11IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

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Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (9)Pin
Anna Chesley

Website | + posts

Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patience Goodman says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (15)
    OK, so I only gave this a 4 out of 5 stars! But it go's to a 10 for me with a couple of small tweaks.
    One is both my aunt and I defiantly loved it better with Almond butter.
    Two is that the consistency seemed to be off a little. So, I added 1 extra tablespoons of coconut flour and flax meal. This meant that when I put it all in my mixer, it no longer would stick to the mixing paddle.
    Lastly after making these 3 times within 4 days. Yes, 4 days! I also found that if you put the mix in to a bag and then I refrigerated it before making it in to balls. That it seem to work better!
    I hope this info is helpful!

    Reply

  2. Jenna says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (16)
    Amazing!!! sprinkled with coconut sugar. ❤️

    Reply

  3. Katie Walsh Beck says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (17)
    How awesome to turn these paleo! Something everyone can enjoy! These have always been on my kids' list of favorite treats!

    Reply

  4. Anne says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (18)
    My mother used to make buckeyes when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing a healthier version of an old favorite!

    Reply

  5. Christina Shoemaker says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (19)
    Oh my what a yummy recipe that's clearly a crowd pleaser!! I really love that you used cashew butter!

    Reply

  6. ChihYu Smith says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (20)
    They are so adorable! I love that it's healthy and delicious too!

    Reply

  7. Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (21)
    Buckeyes are THE best!!! My whole family loves them. I've never made them with cashew butter, can't wait to try this version.

    Reply

  8. Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (22)
    I've never ever heard of buckeyes but do I ever want to make these at Christmas time. I've pinned and will make for sure! THanks for the great recipe idea!

    Reply

  9. Lindsey Dietz says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (23)
    My best friend's husband is from Ohio, so I'm all too familiar with buckeyes! But I love your version so much better!

    Reply

  10. Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (24)
    OMG this was always my favorite Christmas treat. So many memories! I am so making these lovelies for my kiddos!

    Reply

  11. Raia Todd says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (25)
    I definitely need these in my life. Haha! They look amazing!

    Reply

  12. Megan Stevens says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (26)
    These look classic! I'd love to make them with macadamia nut butter!! Yummy!

    Reply

  13. Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (27)
    Cashew butter is my go-to replacement for peanut butter too, I just love it's buttery flavor! These look so good and incredibly decadent!

    Reply

  14. Jean says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (28)
    I absolutely love buckeyes and I can't believe these are Paleo! Such a delicious looking treat.

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Thanks for the kind words Jean! It's hard to believe they're Paleo when you're eating them, too! ; )

      Reply

  15. linda spiker says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (29)
    What a fun dessert! Love your paleo spin!

    Reply

  16. Joni Gomes says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (30)
    I love this recipe! cashew butter is so delicious and with chocolate..it's a winner!

    Reply

  17. Renee Kohley says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (31)
    Such a fun use of cashew butter! I grew up eating buckeyes and missed them when I gave up processed sugar. These look just like what I grew up eating!

    Reply

  18. Tessa Simpson says

    Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (32)
    OOO yum!! Add some collagen and you could call them health food, right??!! Cashew butter is our FAV!! Just made a big batch!

    Reply

  19. April J Harris says

    I love family recipes and I love how you have made this one healthier! Your Buckeyes look wonderful. Sharing on the Hearth and Soul Facebook page!

    Reply

    • Anna says

      April, thank you so much! LOVE your Hearth and Soul linky party, by the way!

      Reply

      • April J Harris says

        Thank you, Anna 🙂 Hope to see you again this week! The party starts in just a few hours!

        Reply

        • Anna says

          I will be there with bells on! = )

          Reply

Leave a Reply

Best ever Paleo Buckeyes recipe! Totally amazing! (2024)

FAQs

Why are my buckeyes so sticky? ›

Why are my Peanut Butter Balls so sticky? First, make sure you're using regular peanut butter (rather than the natural peanut butter that's more runny). If it's too sticky still, you can simply add a little more powdered sugar until it's a nice consistency for rolling into small balls.

Should you keep buckeyes in the fridge? ›

The Buckeyes are fine to sit out at room temperature for 24 hours on a cookie plate for example. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks when not eating.

What are buckeyes 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.

Why are my buckeyes dry? ›

To avoid a dry, crumby dough . . .

Mix together the peanut butter and butter first, and then stir in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, until you reach the right consistency. Usually about 3 cups of powdered sugar will do for approximately 1 1/2-2 cups of peanut butter.

Do you have to dry out buckeyes? ›

Seeds are removed by peeling the capsule apart. Seeds resemble edible chestnuts, but Ohio buckeye fruits are not edible and can be toxic. Seeds of Ohio buckeye should not be allowed to dry out. They can be stored for short periods (1 year) in air tight containers in the refrigerator if not allowed to dry out.

Can you eat the nuts in buckeyes? ›

Removing the shell and roasting the nut neutralizes its harmful tannic acid content and makes for a protein-packed snack. If not prepared properly though, buckeye nuts are toxic to humans, causing symptoms including weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, and death.

Do buckeyes like sun or shade? ›

Culture: Red buckeye can be grown in shade or full sun, although its growth is shrubby and open in shade. It does well in all soil textures, and prefers a moist, well-drained soil that is slightly alkaline to acidic. It grows best in good, rich soil.

How do you prepare buckeye nuts to eat? ›

The seeds are poisonous to humans in the raw state. Thus, the nuts were cracked open with a rock, the shells removed, the seeds pounded into flour, and their toxic saponins removed in a lengthy leaching process. The meal was subsequently cooked and eaten.

What is the toxicity of buckeyes? ›

Poisonous Plant: All parts of the plant (leaves, bark, fruit) are highly toxic if ingested – because of the glycoside aesculin, the saponin aescin, and possibly alkaloids. Symptoms are muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor.

What animal can eat buckeyes? ›

Squirrels are said to be the only animal to eat buckeyes without ill effect. All parts of the tree are toxic — leaves, bark and nuts — because of compounds that cause muscle weakness, paralysis, intestinal distress and vomiting. But squirrels somehow bypass the results felt by cattle, horses and other animals.

What are some fun facts about buckeyes? ›

These seeds are popularly believed to bring good luck, and school children especially still carry them in their pockets as a charm. And while highly poisonous, buckeye seeds contain much protein and were used as a food source by Native Americans who boiled and leached them to remove their toxins.

Why are my peanut butter balls sticky? ›

If your butter was too soft or if the peanut butter you're using is too thin, the filling can get a little soft and sticky as you're rolling. The refrigerator can fix that—stop what you're doing and chill the bowl of filling for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before trying again to roll into balls.

How do you make peanut butter less sticky? ›

The trick is to mix it with something else such as,
  1. Powdered Milk.
  2. Oatmeal.
  3. Powdered sugar.
  4. Graham Crackers.
  5. Rice Crispies.
Jan 15, 2018

How do you keep buckeyes from sweating? ›

SHORTENING added to the chocolate is the big secret ingredient for buckeyes. This helps stabilize the chocolate so that it dips nicely, and helps prevent the chocolate from weeping and sweating once it's hardened. Traditionally, people added paraffin wax to the chocolate to achieve this.

How long does it take for a buckeye to dry out? ›

Dry your buckeye nuts in the sun for a few days. If you want to speed things up, you can dry them in an over at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 degrees Celsius) for two hours [source: Buckeyetree]. Mount a dried buckeye nut securely in your vice grips.

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