Vegan Buckeye Balls

These right here might be my single most favorite winter time treat. My wife's Grandpa makes these by the bucket full literally, but since my transformation to the vegan world I have not been able to enjoy them. Now that we have mastered the double boiler and found the perfect ratio of peanut butter to powder sugar. We found this non-vegan one on All Recipes.Com and all you have to do is use the vegan version of the ingredients. The ingredients that you choose are very very important to making the wonderful balls, Earth Balance is the only clear choice to make. I am not sponsored by them but their peanut butter is the only vegan one that does not leave that funky after taste in your mouth. All of their products are home runs from the replacement dairy products down to the chips and snacks they make are out of this world good.

Now a very big key is the melting of the chocolate and shortening. A homemade double boiler is perfect and easy to create, all you need is a regular pot and a large glass mixing bowl.
After these are made you need to hide the from yourself because they are more addicting than the worstest drug on the market, so use caution!!!!


Vegan Buckeye Balls

1 1/2 cup  Earth Balance Peanut Butter

1/2 cup  melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups vegan powdered sugar

3/4 cup of vegan chocolate chips

2 tbsp Earth Balance Natural Shortening

Now start by lining a cookie sheet with wax paper or if you're all out of wax paper like I was than you can use parchment paper. Now in a large bowl mix the peanut butter, butter, vanilla together slowly start adding the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, now after each cup of sugar the mixture will get thicker and thicker and harder and harder to mix but man up and get it mixed up using your hands is the easiest way. Take 1 tbsp of mixture and roll into a perfect little ball and place on that cookie sheet. Once you have all the balls rolled out place the tray in the fridge for 15 min.

Now to set up the double boiler place the pot on the stove put in enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by an inch or so not a lot is needed, place the glass bowl on top of the of pot. Put the chocolate chips and the shortening in the cold bowl then turn on the heat. As soon as you hear the water boiling then turn down the temp your mixture will start to melt together you need stir and watch closely if your temp is to high then your chocolate will burn and have a very bitter taste.

Using a tooth pick stab the balls and dip them in the hot mixture I use spoon to get more chocolate up the sides then place on the tray repeat till all the balls are covered.  Place tray of covered balls in the fridge.

Now once your done there will be some chocolate mixture left so get creative, whatever you think would be good covered in chocolate toss in there and coat it up. I went with raisins this time, coat them little nuggets of joy and place them on a tray to cool, place in the fridge next to the balls from heaven and set a 30 min timer and wait.  

Have Fun and Enjoy.