Christmas is here once again. It’s a time for gazing at sparkly lights, bundling up in warm coats, giving pretty gifts, sipping hot cider, visiting family and baking lots of sweets. But somehow, it always seems to sneak up on me. Every year I know it’s coming, but for some reason, I never feel like I’m ready! Trimming the tree, running errands, dropping off presents and attending holiday parties can leave you feeling drained. However, with a few ‘quick & easy’ gifts in your arsenal, it can go pretty smoothly!
I appreciate homemade gifts as much as the next person, but I love giving them even more, so I’ve been thinking about what I would hand out to my friends and family this year. What a surprise, though, that I received a tin full of homemade ‘Buckeyes’ as a holiday treat from my friend, Nicole! And after a little research, I came across this ‘Buckeye Bark’ and knew that it would be perfect wrapped up and tied with a pretty little ribbon. My next challenge?? To keep this post hidden from some very special recipients! 
Buckeye Bark
Source: Big Red Kitchen
2-1/2 lbs chocolate candy coating
1 (16.3 oz) jar creamy peanut butter
2 c Confectioners’ sugar
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Melt half of the chocolate candy coating according to the package directions, then spread over parchment paper or a silpat-lined cookie sheet. Spread to a large rectangle, but not too thin – approximately 1/8″ to 1/4″ thickness. Place in freezer to firm up.
In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, Confectioners’ sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Remove first chocolate layer from the freezer and spread the peanut butter mixture over the top. Return to the freezer and melt the remaining chocolate candy coating. Once that is melted, spread it over the top of the peanut butter layer and freeze until set.
Break up the bark into small pieces using a butcher knife. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
This post was written by Jessica Reddick Gatlin. Contact Jessica at jessica@mybakingheart.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
79 Responses to Buckeye Bark
Leave a Reply
Stay Connected
Pay Your Per Capita
Grab Our Button!
Go ahead...You can take it!
Link back to Live Sigma Kappa from your webpage with our button!
Add this code to your webpage!
<a href="http://livesigmakappa.com" target="_self"><img border="0" src="http://www.sigmakappa.org/images/LSK_bird.png" /></a>
[...] December is in full-swing… and I’ve got another delicious recipe for you over on Live Sigma Kappa. And it’s perfect for gift-giving, [...]
this sounds so much easier than regular Buckeyes! I’ll try it for my cookie exchange this weekend! Thanks for the recipe.
Love all the great recipes they are posting on this blog. This is one I’ll try for sure, thanks for sharing!
can I just say…yummy! Will have to try these…bring some Ohio down south to Florida!
I had my first Buckeye ever last summer when I was in Cleveland for a wedding. Hopefully I can carve out some time this holiday season to try this one out!
I wish I would have seen this prior to making 12 dozen peanut butter balls for regular buckeyes! Great idea! Will be trying them soon!
Are these really hard to bite into? These sound so yummy but I will have several older people and a few young children at my party. What do you think?
Hi Brooke – This is like biting into a Reese’s PB Cup, so not hard at all. Enjoy!
This looks so good. A great idea. Peanut Butter with chocolate is pretty irresistible!
Can you use chocolate chips instead???
I used chocolate chips mixed in with candy chocolate and it worked. I would think the only hurdle to using chocolate chips alone is they tend to melt more easily when handled than candy chocolate.
where do you get the chocolate candy coating? Not quite sure what this is!
Candy coating is near the chocolate chips in the baking section of the store. It is sometimes called almond bark.
When I make truffles, I use the little chocolate disks found in the candy making aisle at AC Moore and Michael’s. I wonder if those would work in this case too.
Use chocolate chips (or half semisweet chips and half broken up hershey bars). Add a half of a block of parafin wax which you can buy in any grocery store near the canning stuff. It gives the chocolate that glaze and doesn’t melt just like Almond Bark doesn’t. Plus, it tastes A LOT better
yikes, parafin is a petroleum product. Would not think very healthful!
Amanda, they are the same. I hope I’m not too late. I just came upon this recipe.
I have made these twice. The second time I used reduced fat peanut butter (why I was trying to save any calories I don’t even know) but it did not work as well. The peanut butter mixture didn’t spread as easily and when I broke it apart the peanut butter didn’t hold the layers together. Definitely use regular peanut butter!!!
How many servings would you say this makes? Or how big would you say your rectangle was?
Hi Cathy – You can make as few or as many servings of this as you’d like; it just depends on the size of pieces that you break the bark into. I’d say that the rectangle (and it wasn’t a perfect one) was about the size of a piece of paper… 8.5″ x 11″.
And here I was wondering what that recipe in my Nana’s reipe box was called besides “peanut butter stuff”!
I have been a small candy maker for several years in Ohio. I can’t say how many “Buckeyes” have been ordered – but these are truly the same ingredients I use. I will be trying this out and suggest for my next order . . . Thanks for the future time saved!!!
Hello my name is Elizabeth and I work for a small library in Wyoming. We are currently putting together a recipie book to celebrate ten years of our annual Death By Chocolate Fundraiser. I’m collecting pictures to use on the dividers in the book, and I fell in love with the picture of your Buckeye Bark. If you would be interested in talking to me about what we could do to use your photo, or if you have any questions, please email me at evoss@uintalibrary.org. Thank you for your time.
You’ve got mail, Elizabeth!
[...] buckeye bark. /* [...]
This looks sooo good! I can’t wait to make this, and I agree that it’ll make a great Christmas gift.
[...] came across this recipe for Buckeye Bars on Pinterest the other day and they look MUCH EASIER than rolling hundreds of little sticky balls. [...]
What makes these different from buckeyes that they have to be kept refrigerated? I’d love to make them for the holidays, but am concerned that I can’t use the recipe for cookie swaps or leave it out too long.
Hi Lisa – They don’t have to be refrigerated. I just mentioned that because I don’t like for them to be super-soft or even melt before serving. I love a cold, crisp piece of bark!
This looks wonderful! This looks so much easier than rolling out all the buckeyes! Another tip ive seen is making these in cupcake liners kind of like a Reese cup for personal servings
the cupcake idea is great and a little ice cream scooper would be perfect for dropping the peanut butter mix in
Just came across the Buckets Bark recipe. So clever. I am a true Buckets, born and raised. I bleed scarlet for a reason, love this idea.
Omg. So its september 3rd 2012 and I am officially pretending its autumn in southern california. It wont REALLY hit til october or so. But the inclimate weather (95°) will not keep me from making this deliiciousness to eat after dinner.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate coating. These look delicious!!
Hi Joyce! I haven’t used chocolate chips in this recipe, so I can’t say yes; however, it’s worth a try! Please let me know how it turns out if you decide to try them!
This is so pretty & I’m sure it’s totally delicious! I’ve pinned this to try this Christmas. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you, Steph! Hope you love it as much as I did!
I made this yesterday. Oh my, it is so much faster than rolling all the buckeyes and then dipping them. I think I had this made up in less than a half hour! Some things I would change. I would use chocolate chips with the parafin instead of Almond Bark….you can get very good tasting chocolate chips…I don’t like the Almond Bark chocolate that much (but if you’re short on time, us the Almond Bark!). Also, I would bring it back to room temperature to break or cut it apart. Breaking it from the freezer was impossible. Plus, you can cut into more manageable size pieces if you cut it at room temperature. YUM!
I-O !!! Go BUCKeye bark!
I am making these right now and for all of the people who asked if you can use chocolate chips, I used 3 12 oz bags of semi-sweet and mixed 1 tablespoon shortening with it and these turned out awesome! I did have a problem spreading the peanut butter mixture, so I warmed it up (which melted the chocolate), but it still turned out fine. Thank you for the recipe, which I found on pinterest!
What is candy coating? This recipe sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing.
This may be an absolutely ridiculous question, but I’ve never used chocolate candy coating, or Almond Bark, before. Can you tell me… does this actually contain almonds? I am allergic, and I assumed by the names, it has almonds in it. Can you tell me what I can use in place of the Almond Bark? Thank you!
We are gluten free and dairy free. I have never worked with chocolate candy coating, is it gluten and dairy free?
Thanks!
OMG! You just saved me hours of rolling pb balls and dipping them in chocolate! Can’t wait to try this for the holidays! Thanks;)
Our family buckeye recipe calls for semi-sweet morsals and a little parafin- I love the darker chocolate from the semi-sweet in this. Also, our buckeyes have crushed graham cracker crumbs mixed in the peanut butter, so it has that little texture just like Reeses. (I’d never considered layering either). I can’t decide if these would hold up to mailing to Texas A&M to my son for exam season though. What do you think?
I forgot to mention- the parafin CAN scorch, so if you try that route, be aware and stir frequently and well.
Yummy… Great receipe..
I bought a silicone 6 snowflake mold to make peppermint bark in and wondered if it might also work for the buckeye bark?
I made this using chocolate melts and when I went to break it, it separated from the bottom layer of chocolate. What did I do wrong?
Just for clarification— by chocolate candy coating, do mean choco chips or the candy discs?
Will be making these for Christmas!
Hi Barb! What’s suggested are the candy discs like you find on the Wilton aisle at Walmart or Hobby Lobby!
Never mind!
. I just found all the other comments that deal with the question. Thanks all!
What a BRILLIANT idea! Why anyone hadn’t thought of this, I do not know? My Dad and family thanks you!!!!
I LOVE this idea! I make the buckeye balls every year and they are a bit of a hassle to me. I’m really looking forward to trying these this year. Thanks for sharing!(:
I had lots of the peanut butter mixture left over….might recommend one more pkg of chocolate.
Muchas gracias por la receta……
Sorry for the dumb question but… Could you clarify the amount of Chocolate you use? Is it 2.5 pounds of chocolate or two 1/2 pounds totally 1 pound? Thanks
Hi Angela – It’s 2 & a 1/2 pounds total. Hope this helps!
[...] Buckeye Bark. This would be way easier than rolling all those buckeye balls. [...]
[...] Twist on Traditional Bark: This Buckeye Bark makes me think of my sister who lives in Ohio. Plus, I’m pretty sure my Recee’s-loving husband [...]
I made these last night. They were in the freezer for 24 hrs. I couldn’t cut them without the chocolate breaking apart last night. And today I couldn’t cut them without the peanut butter squishing out. They’ve been sitting out as I wait for room temp. My cuts are making a big mess and I’m very sad. Using a large sharp knife.
Used 20 oz of chocolate w/ 1/2 bar parafin. The flavor and texture all taste right to me (I make buckeye balls every year). Help?
I made these today!!! They taste amazing but the bottom layer broke off on several pieces when I tried to separate them!!! Is there a trick to preventing this??? Help !!!!
Hi – I’m getting ready to make this today and I use Baker’s semi sweet squares for my other bark – assuming it will work fine for this too. My question is that it seems like A LOT of chocolate and that my rectangles will be way thicker than 1/4 – 1/8″ has anyone used Bakers for this recipe – and is 40 one ounce squares the correct amount? Thank you!!
I just made these and they were a disaster when I cut them! I cut them just after getting them out of the freezer. Do they need to be room temp to cut?
Thanks for this candy. I get tired of rolling peanut balls for hours. Thanks again.
I made this today, but with vanilla candy coating. It tastes like a white chocolate Reese cup!! Yum!!
[...] Recipe from LiveSigmaKappa.com [...]
What a disappointment! Mine turned out about 2 inches thick with messy, soft filling. I used a 9 x 13 pan so i can’t imagine how anyone following the recipe as written made it work out. Seems like 1/3 of the ingredients need to go. Good luck!
Easiest and best things ever! I’m a serious milk choc fan,so I used a bag of milk choc chips mixed with a bit of shortening and melted in the microwave, a bag for the bottom and a bag for the top. I had no problems with cutting. Only problem I had was keeping them out of my kids hands to make it to the holiday!
For those that were having a hard time cutting it straight from the freezer and having the bottom layer of chocolate not stick — let it sit out and get to room temperature and then it cuts very easily and all three layers stick together.
I noticed that peanut butter and the chocolate don’t come in the sizes specified in the recipe. Does anyone have the measurement in cups?
[...] Buck-eye Bark (from Live Sigma Kappa) [...]
I need to know what size pan or cookie sheet to use, thanks.
[...] Peanut Butter Buckeye Bark Espresso Toffee Chocolate Clusters Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies Homemade Oreos Old Fashioned Potato Candy Cranberry Bliss Cookies Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. [...]
Instead of putting an entire layer of chocolate on the peanut butter layer, can I just drizzle chocolate on top?
Can you use chocolate chips?
I made this today and it came out perfectly. I use the Ghirardelli chocolate and didn’t have any problems using the Ghirardelli chocolate. I followed the recipe entirely and it came out perfectly. I layered the first half of the chocolate on the cookie sheet, placed in the freezer and repeat the rest of receipe. I didn’t have problem breaking into pieces because it was at room temperature. I will make it again.
[...] Originally Pinned by Live Sigma Kappa. See the original recipe and instructions here. [...]
I love recipes made simple! Great idea!