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Prior to going TF, I used to make a dessert called Buckeyes. It was a blend of peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar rolled into balls and dipped into melted paraffin and chocolate. They were yummy. And popular. Any event involving food we attended, we were asked to bring buckeyes along. With the large amounts of powdered sugar and the added paraffin, they were anything but healthy. So when we went to traditional foods, I shelved the recipe and didn’t look back.
Earlier this week I mentioned to my husband that National Peanut Butter Day was coming up. He immediately asked if I could come up with a TF version of Buckeyes. I set to work trying to make it using only traditional foods ingredients. I’m very happy with the results.
The new mixture wasn’t dipped in chocolate since I didn’t have the time, but I did roll chocolate chips into the mix. Next time I’ll melt them and dip the balls instead. They came out as a perfect lunchbox treat or snack. Easy to roll, easy to handle and they won’t fall apart. My kids circled like sharks while I took pictures then scarfed them down while I enjoyed ten minutes of total silence. I’d say that’s a winner!
Peanut Butter Balls
1 cup peanut or other nut butter
6 Tbs honey (I used Tropical Traditions’ raw honey)
1/2 cup coconut flour (I used Tropical Traditions’ coconut flour)
dash salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
5-8 drops Concentrace, optional
1/3 cup chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, coconut flour, salt, vanilla extract and concentrace. Stir until uniformly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll into balls using your hands.
Refrigerate any leftovers.
This post is part of the following: Sunday School Carnival, Make Your Own Monday, Homestead barn Hop, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Fight Back Friday, Freaky Friday, Friday Food Flicks
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We used to make Buckeyes all the time! till we graduated to PB buckets! we also cleaned up our recipe using organic ingredients and organic chocolate to make the bucket from. but i never thought of coconut flour to help stiffen the filling. again we used organic chocolate to sweeten and stiffen but this way is better cause you can control the sweetener. we do buy dark organic chocolate from Guittard and they make organic chips too. adding in nibs would be awesome for an extra antioxidant punch, darker flavor and some crunch! Thanks for the idea!
I have all of that on hand, and nibs too! Looks like we’ll have a nice rainy day treat for tomorrow. I think these will be a hit with my 20 month old daughter. Thanks!
Could you use a different flour than coconut? My daughter would love these but doesn’t handle coconut very well.
Sarah, the reason coconut flour is used is that it doesn’t need to be cooked before consuming. You could try other flours, I’d consider chia seed meal, nut meals and the like. Any flour that doesn’t have to be cooked before you can eat it should work.
KerryAnn Foster recently posted..On Secrets, Judgement and Health
Powdered milk is a good replacement for coconut flour in this recipe, although I believe there is something about powdered millk that isn’t very good for you.
Erin, powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, which is implicated in hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart disease. It’s not appropriate for a traditional foods diet so we use the coconut flour instead.
Hi! I pinned these & now I want to make them….Did you use a peanut butter with sugar or could you share what kind you used? I just read your little disclaimer today & I smiled because I had to click on a bunch of them yesterday because I am clueless & just starting to try to cook healthier! I picked up the coconut flour today! I am excited! Thanks for sharing!
Libbie, I used a jar of Jif Naturals that was given to use to make the ones photographed. I’ve also used the organic Smuckers with good results and Maranatha. You could also use an almond or other nut butter.
KerryAnn Foster recently posted..On Secrets, Judgement and Health
Well, you nailed “kid friendly” with these. I tried to coat them in chocolate to make them more appealing to my peanut-butter averse husband, but scorched the chocolate (doncha know) and ended up mixing in the few remaining chips I had (as you did above) along with some raisins to make up the difference. Me, I can take them or leave them, but my children are practically waxing poetic. Plus, they seem to stick well in those ever-empty tummies. Thanks for this one.
Hi! I’ve just found your site (via Fat Tuesday today) and these look so amazing, and something that my kiddos would LOVE. I’m just wondering though – what is concentrace? Could I leave it out successfully?
Concentrace is a trace mineral supplement. It’s a good thing to use to replace the nutrients we can no longer get from depleted soils. You can leave it out without any problems.
KerryAnn Foster recently posted..On Secrets, Judgement and Health
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-march-6-2012/
I made these the other night and they were so yummy! Great recipe!!
Jessica @ Delicious Obsessions recently posted..Traditional Tuesdays: Nutritious and Delicious – 03/06/12
Just made these as a treat for the kids at work. I used organic pb ground from the co-op, no sugar added. I’m allergic to honey so I used agave and reduced it to 4 scant Tbsp. I was out of vanilla so I left that out as well. They are delicious as is and I feel ok giving them to the kids. Thanks!
Have made these twice now for the Starving Manlings. The first time I did a “regular” batch….circling like sharks was putting it MILDLY! I don’t know how they got out of the bowl. The second time, I got smart and made them when The Bottomless Pit (Manling #2) was out AND I doubled the batch. Some made the fridge, which is good…’cause #2 will come back from the firehouse hungry…. LOL
And I don’t feel bad when they ask for more…
Thanks for posting this on Friday Food Flicks, Kerry Ann. I’m featuring it this week with some other to-die-for photos. 🙂
Amanda
Amanda Rose recently posted..Raspberry Leaf
Coconut flour sounds like such an improvement over the non-instant dry milk we used to use! (Not that they weren’t good, they were). I have also used a couple of soaked and pureed dates for sweetener! Yummy, now I’m hungry!
Just wondering what the concentrate is added for? According to Cure Tooth Decay, peanuts are loaded with phytic acid and are prone to mold (depending on what part of the country your peanuts come from). Is it to counteract the anti-nutrients in the PB?
I can get soaked peanut butter that is super creamy & smooth and really expensive. I have made my own crispy peanuts and use the food processor to make PB but it doesn’t get really smooth like my kids like it, I think I need a stick blender.
I was just trying to gauge whether you are suggesting these as a once in awhile snack or using them as a regular lunch box filler/snack. I know my kids would gobble these up but worry about the health implications.
Megan @ Purple Dancing Dahlias recently posted..~ New Pictures from the Garden ~
Megan, the Concentrace adds trace minerals to the food.
When I do a recipe calling for peanut butter, I assume you are using soaked peanuts that are mold-free. You can also use almond butter, sunnut butter or any other nut or seed butter.
Wow! Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve never heard of buckeyes but my family and I are huge fans of anything that pairs peanut butter and chocolate! These are so easy to make, perfect texture (neither sticky nor crumbly), and delicious! The only downside is I don’t think they’re gonna last very long 🙂
Joanna moore recently posted..GAPS and our family
I was wondering if you thought I could substitute Jules Gluten free flour in this recipe? Or is there something in her flour that I should be aware of as bad? thanks
In this recipe, the coconut flour is used because it’s a flour that you can eat raw without worries. Coconut flour is just extremely finely ground coconut. The Jules flour has ingredients in it that you need to cook in order to be able to digest it best.
Sorry, I am new to most of this. Does the coconut flour give it a coconut flavor at all? The men in my house are rather taste sensitive, especially to coconut.
Christine, I don’t personally taste coconut in them, but if they’re super tasters, they might notice it. You might want to try a small batch to see if they like it first.
What kind of chocolate chips do you feel comfortable using in a traditional diet? I can’t seem to find any good ones…
I use Enjoy Life chips because they’re dairy-free and with us, being dairy-free trumps all due to a food intolerance for one of my kids. We use them very sparingly.