If you like your peanut butter with a little texture, these crunchy buckeyes with rice krispies are the thing for you. The crispy peanut butter centers pairs so wonderfully with the chocolate shell to make the perfect homemade candy.

Hand holding crunchy peanut butter buckeye with dark chocolate coating.

Crunchy buckeyes are a fun twist on the classic buckeye candy recipe. They add crisped rice cereal for extra texture with the same great taste.

Our family has always been big buckeye fans. That classic flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter is hard to beat.

They taste a lot like a Reese’s peanut butter cup, but in a more fun package. We make a batch or two every Christmas.

So it doesn’t take a lot of convincing for me to make a batch. I mean, there is no reason we can’t enjoy them outside of the holiday season.

When a coworker mentioned that his mom’s buckeyes were the best because they included rice krispies, I was intrigued. Of course I had to try them for myself!

Crunchy buckeye half showing rice krispie and peanut butter center with chocolate coating.

Ingredients including butter, peanut butter, salt, powdered sugar, vanilla, rice krispies, and dark chocolate ready to be made into candy.

My husband, who is both a huge buckeye fan and purist/traditionalist, was dubious at first. But after one bite, he was hooked.

And that is saying something! He couldn’t pick a favorite, so now I guess we have to make a batch of each.

Making Rice Krispie Buckeyes

If you are familiar with making regular buckeyes, you will know this process well. It doesn’t change much to add the cereal.

Start with room temperature butter to make the process easy. You want it to readily mix into the peanut butter.

Stir in a little vanilla and powdered sugar. It will look a little crumbly at first, but it should come together.

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Peanut butter and powdered sugar mixture showing thick center.

Mixing bowl with spatula folding crisp rice cereal into the peanut butter mixture.

Then, fold in the crisp rice cereal. I like to use a small cookie scoop to portion out the filling.

But because you aren’t baking them, you can make the balls as big or small as you would like.

Put the centers in the freezer for a bit to firm up a bit. That helps to keep them sticking to your hands while rolling them into balls between your palms.

Pop them back into the freezer again for a few minutes to firm them up again before dipping them in chocolate.

Scoops of peanut butter rice krispie mixture on wax paper lined baking sheet.

Chilled balls of dough showing smooth texture after they have been rolled between palms.

I like to insert a toothpick into the top and gently roll the ball in the melted chocolate. Leave a small circle at the top of the ball to look like the namesake nut.

Then, just let them firm up. It really is that easy.

I usually go back and smooth the ball with a finger to cover the toothpick hole. You can transfer them to an airtight container once the chocolate is set.

Hand dipping a peanut butter ball in melted dark chocolate using a toothpick to hold the peanut butter center.

Tray of chocolate dipped peanut butter balls setting up.

The Rice Krispies stay nice and crunchy in the peanut butter, and it really does add a little something to the mix. Try them to see for yourself!

What kind of chocolate should I use for buckeyes?

I like using good quality dipping chocolate to make candies like this. It coats well without having to temper the chocolate.

They taste great with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate.

Hand holding a buckeye with a bite missing showing crunchy peanut butter center with bits of cereal coated in chocolate shell.

Storage

If you are going to enjoy the buckeyes within a few days, they can be stored at room temperature. Put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

For longer storage, you can put them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

5 from 6 ratings

Crunchy Buckeyes With Rice Krispies

Author: Carlee

Servings: candies

These peanut butter buckeye candies feature crisp rice cereal in the filling for added texture. The chocolate coating makes them look like the nut, but they taste so much better! Make a batch for Christmas or any time you a bit of peanut butter and chocolate goodness.

Prep: 30

Cook: 2

Total: 1 2

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup creamy peanut butter
▢ 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
▢ 1 pinch salt
▢ 1½ cups powdered sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1¼ cups Rice Krispies cereal
▢ 10 ounces dipping chocolate

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 pinch salt, and 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter together until smooth.
Add the 1½ cups powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. It may look crumbly at first, but it should come together.
Add the 1¼ cups Rice Krispies cereal and mix by hand until uniformly distributed.
Line a sheet pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Scoop 1 Tablespoon balls of peanut butter mixture onto the wax paper, a small cookie scoop works well for this.
Place sheet pan in freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and roll the scoops of peanut butter mixture between your palms to form balls. Return to freezer for 10 more minutes or until firm.
Melt the 10 ounces dipping chocolate in a small bowl.
Insert a toothpick into the top of a chilled peanut butter ball. Dip into the melted chocolate coating all but a small circle on the top of the ball. Return the ball to the lined baking sheet and remove the toothpick. Repeat until all of the peanut butter ball centers have been coated in chocolate.
Chill the chocolate coated peanut butter balls in the refrigerator until set, about 10 minutes.