Keto Buckeye Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge - Sugar-Free

Keto Buckeye Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge is the wonderful creation that happens when you combine creamy peanut butter fudge bites surrounded by smooth, rich, dark chocolate fudge. This ridiculously easy keto peanut butter chocolate fudge is going to be a regular recipe in your house from now on! And, although it feels oh so naughty, it is actually low in carbs and sugar-free so you can enjoy it guilt-free! 

Buckeye Fudge

This is a simple recipe for sugar-free creamy chocolate fudge dotted with delicious specks of peanut butter fudge bites. And since it is so much easier to make than the ever-popular buckeye candies, this keto fudge can become a regular in your recipe rotations.

I was craving something chocolate/peanut butter like the ever so popular Buckeye candy simply didn’t have much time to spend in the kitchen. Truth be told, almost all of my recipes are created from 1 - A craving and 2 - Time constraints.

Buckeye Candy is a classic for a good reason; those cute balls of peanut butter fudge dipped in a chocolate coating are everybody’s favorite. They are delicious but they are also time-consuming. Hence, why you normally only see Buckeye candy recipes around the Holidays when people have a bit more time on their hands.

Until I moved to the States from Canada, I had never heard of "Buckeyes". I will never forget the first bite on a beautiful Christmas Eve.

It truly was love at first bite!

But...when I went to make them at home, what an absolute time-consuming mess! Let's face it, when it comes to cooking, I make quite the mess. I swear, chocolate ended up on the floor, the backsplash, and even in my hair!

So, not wanting to make a mess or take the time to roll and dip all of those little balls of peanut butter goodness, I decided to make an easier and mess-free fudge version of this delightful holiday treat.

This fudge takes just a few minutes of hands-on prep time and the rest of the time is trying (as patiently as possible) for the fudge to harden in the fridge.

Buckeye History

If you’re not familiar with buckeyes, they’re balls of peanut buttery fudge, dipped in chocolate. Buckeyes are especially popular in Ohio because they resemble the nuts that grow on the state’s native Buckeye trees but you don’t have to be an Ohio-an to find them delicious.

I mean, it’s chocolate and peanut butter–How could you go wrong?!

EASY LOW CARB Chocolate PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Sugar-Free Buckeye Fudge is going on my Christmas recipe list but I also end up making it throughout the years since both Mr. Grumbles and I love it so much! Plus, taking a shortcut and making the traditional Buckey candy into a fudge, simplified the process.

This Buckeye Fudge recipe is over the top simple. It only takes about 5 minutes to get all the ingredients prepped (if that), then a little time making the keto-sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter fudge bites.

Probably the longest time is waiting for the heavy cream to simmer long enough to evaporate some of the liquid. The result is a thick and creamy sugar-free version of sweetened condensed milk.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter

Although the Buckeye candy was the inspiration for this recipe, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter is one almost everyone loves. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Cups and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake are just two of the dozens of dessert recipes I’m crazy for that use a combo of sweet chocolate and salty peanut butter.

Making Buckeye Fudge

At its core, this fudge is a blend of bite-size chunks of my Peanut Butter Edible Cookie Dough studded along with my all-time favorite easy fudge recipe. And I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s ridiculously easy and fast to make!

For the Peanut Butter Bites, all you have to do is to stir together melted peanut butter, sweetener, and vanilla pea protein powder. Then, simply pinch off small sections and roll them between your palms to form tiny little bites. Finally. to make sure that the peanut butter bites don't lose their shape after being incorporated into the hot chocolate mixture, you stick them in the freezer to harden.

Then, make the chocolate fudge by creating keto-sweetened condensed milk, adding some chunks of unsweetened chocolate, and stirring the mixture until the chocolate has melted.

Lastly, add the frozen peanut butter bites into the fudge and let it cool, then slice, and then eat!

The layers of smooth dark chocolate with rich peanut butter set up well in the fridge after about four hours. It is so creamy and delicious that will hardly be able to wait to dive into it!

Even though I’m not usually a fan of recipes that take a lot of time to make, this recipe is mostly "hands-off" so I don't really mind using the stovetop to make the fudge.

I’ve listed the fudge recipe as making 28 servings, based on a standard size square of fudge. Although this might seem like a lot of servings for such a small dish (I used a 9 x 5 loaf pan), this fudge is so rich that a little goes a long way!

If you want to make thinner fudge, you can always prepare this in an 8 x 8-inch pan instead.

I love the fact that I can have a nice sweet treat after dinner...let's be honest...I keep popping these little squares in my mouth all day...so cutting them into smaller squares also means there’s more to go around!

If you have more willpower around fudge than I do, this fudge stores well in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days.

If you don't have much willpower, you can also store this in the freezer for up to 3 months! No need to thaw these babies...they are delicious right out of the freezer!

Buckeye Fudge Recipe

Make the Peanut Butter Bites – Place the peanut butter in a glass small glass bowl and microwave for about 45 seconds or until the peanut butter has melted. Next, stir in the sweetener, and vanilla pea protein powder. Stir to combine the ingredients - it should come together very quickly and be nice and smooth and creamy. If you don't have any vanilla pea protein powder, replace the protein powder with more sweetener and a drop of vanilla extract. Take little pieces of the peanut butter and roll it into small little balls. Place the bites into the freezer so that when you add them to the fudge, they will hold their shape and not melt into the hot chocolate fudge.

Line a Baking Dish - Use aluminum foil or parchment paper and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. You can use a large dish like an 8 x 8-inch dish but your fudge will be thinner than what is shown in the pictures.

Make the Chocolate Fudge – Like all quick and easy fudge, you are going to start by making a sugar-free homemade sweetened condensed. To make keto-sweetened condensed milk, simply combine powdered allulose (or another sweetener of choice) with heavy cream in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat until the mixture is brought to a simmer. Simmer the mixture until some of the water evaporates and the mixture becomes a nice golden brown (about 30 minutes). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the unsweetened chopped chocolate, the butter, and then the unsweetened cocoa powder and salt.

Stir in the Peanut Butter Bites - Pour the fudge into the baking dish and then drop the frozen peanut butter bites over the entire top of the fudge. Nudge each bite into the fudge so that the fudge completely covers the peanut butter bites.

Let the fudge cool - Place the fudge in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting. Slice into bite-size servings and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Best Fudge Recipes

You can’t ever have too many fudge recipes, especially during the holidays.

White Chocolate Walnut Fudge is a sweet and crunchy treat that I love including candy and cookie platters to share with friends. Peanut Butter Fudge (Dairy-Free, Keto) was made for all those dairy-free people.

Homemade Keto Treats

Homemade fudge and candy have saved me so much time (not to mention money) when it comes to Christmas gifts. Whether you give fudge on its own or as an accompaniment to another present, it means so much to share a treat you love with others.

This Keto Buckeye Fudge recipe would also be a perfect gift any time of year, just to let someone know you were thinking of them. I know I’d smile extra wide if a friend or neighbor showed up at my door with a plate of fudge!

Looking for more homemade keto treats to add to your baking gift list?

• Pecan Maple Cream Shortbread Cups -Gluten-Free and Keto, 
• Chocolate-Covered Toffee Crackers
• Peanut Caramel Chocolate Bars (Keto, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
• Keto Edible Cookie Dough - 3 Protein-Packed Healthy Flavours
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars

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