Peanut Butter Christmas Candy: 14 Grandma Tin Treats, From Buckeyes to the Potato Candy That Fools Everyone

Peanut butter Christmas candy was the quiet star of every tin Grandma packed, and it never lasted past the first visit from the neighbors. Ohio has its buckeyes, Appalachia has potato candy that nobody believes starts with a plain boiled spud, and the Midwest has haystacks on every church cookie tray. Most of these treats need a jar of peanut butter, a bag of powdered sugar and some melted chocolate, and most need no candy thermometer at all. Below are 14 recipes, from no-bake balls to two cooked classics for the brave. Label your gift tins clearly for friends with peanut allergies, then clear a shelf in the fridge, because the dipping is about to begin..

Buckeyes, the Most Famous Peanut Butter Christmas Candy

No tin of peanut butter Christmas candy is complete without buckeyes, the Ohio favorite that looks just like the shiny nut from the state tree. Creamy peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar roll into soft balls that get dipped in dark chocolate, with a little circle of peanut butter left showing on top. Freeze the balls for 30 minutes first and dip them on a toothpick so they hold their shape. Pack them beside the rest of your old-fashioned Christmas candy..

You will need: 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter softened, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 1 tbsp shortening

How to make it: 1. Beat the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. 2. Mix in the powdered sugar until the dough holds together. 3. Roll into 1-inch balls and freeze 30 minutes. 4. Melt the chocolate with the shortening in 30-second bursts. 5. Dip each ball on a toothpick, leaving the top bare. 6. Chill until set and keep in the fridge.

Peanut Butter Rocky Road Fudge

Rocky road fudge is the candy Grandma cut into fat little bricks and hid on the top shelf. This version stirs peanut butter into the chocolate, then folds in mini marshmallows and salted peanuts, so every bite is creamy, soft and crunchy at once. Tip: let the chocolate cool for 5 minutes before adding the marshmallows so they stay plump instead of melting. If your family loves this kind of chunky square, try our rocky road candy squares too. Who gets the corner piece?

You will need: 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup salted peanuts

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. 2. Melt the chips with the condensed milk over low heat, stirring. 3. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. 4. Cool 5 minutes, then fold in the marshmallows and peanuts. 5. Press into the pan and chill 2 hours. 6. Cut into squares.

Potato Candy Pinwheels, the Peanut Butter Christmas Candy That Fools Everyone

Potato candy is the Appalachian treat that fools everyone, because nobody guesses the soft, sweet dough starts with a plain mashed potato. Mixed with powdered sugar until it turns into a smooth fondant, it gets rolled out, spread with peanut butter and rolled up like a jelly roll. Potato candy goes back to lean years when families made sweets from what was in the bin, just like the Depression era Christmas dishes our grandparents still talk about. Use a potato mashed with nothing added so the dough stays bright white.

You will need: 1/2 cup plain mashed russet potato (no butter or milk), 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar plus more for rolling, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

How to make it: 1. Stir the warm potato with the vanilla and salt. 2. Beat in powdered sugar a cup at a time until a stiff, smooth dough forms. 3. Roll out on powdered sugar into a 10×12-inch rectangle. 4. Spread with peanut butter and roll up tightly from the long side. 5. Wrap and chill 2 hours, then slice 1/4 inch thick.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Truffles sound fancy, but these take three main ingredients and no special tricks. Warm cream melts chopped chocolate into a silky ganache, and peanut butter stirred in makes it rich and nutty. Chill, scoop and roll some in cocoa, some in chopped peanuts and some in sprinkles, then line them up in a gift box like a candy shop. Few kinds of peanut butter Christmas candy feel this special. Roll them fast with cool hands so they stay round, and tuck the box beside one of our homemade gifts in a jar for a sweet neighbor present.

You will need: 8 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, pinch of salt, cocoa powder, chopped peanuts and sprinkles for rolling

How to make it: 1. Heat the cream until steaming and pour over the chocolate. 2. Rest 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. 3. Stir in the peanut butter and salt. 4. Chill 2 hours until firm. 5. Scoop 1-inch balls and roll in the coatings. 6. Keep refrigerated.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups for Christmas Tins

Homemade peanut butter cups taste even better than the store version, with a thicker layer of chocolate and a creamy, salty filling. Made in mini paper liners, they look adorable lined up in a tin of peanut butter Christmas candy. Let the bottom layer of chocolate set in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding the filling, so the layers stay neat. For more copycat treats from your own kitchen, browse our homemade candy bars. Milk chocolate or dark?

You will need: 24 mini paper liners, 12 oz milk chocolate chips, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp butter softened, flaky salt

How to make it: 1. Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil. 2. Spoon 1 tsp into each liner and freeze 10 minutes. 3. Mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter. 4. Press small flat discs of filling onto the chocolate. 5. Cover with more chocolate and add flaky salt. 6. Chill 30 minutes.

Buckeye Bars, a Shortcut Peanut Butter Christmas Candy

Buckeye bars give you all the flavor of buckeyes without rolling a single ball. A firm peanut butter layer gets pressed into a pan, topped with a smooth sheet of chocolate and cut into neat little squares that stack well in a tin. Tip: score the chocolate with a warm knife before it sets hard, so the top does not crack when you cut. These sell fast at any table of church bake sale recipes. How many squares will you get?

You will need: 1 cup butter melted, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tsp vanilla, 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 2 tbsp butter

How to make it: 1. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment. 2. Mix the melted butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, graham crumbs and vanilla. 3. Press firmly into the pan. 4. Melt the chocolate with 2 tbsp butter and spread on top. 5. Chill 20 minutes, score, then chill until firm. 6. Cut into small squares.

Peanut Butter Haystacks With Chow Mein Noodles

Haystacks are the crunchy, salty-sweet cluster that shows up on every Midwest Christmas cookie tray. Melted butterscotch chips and peanut butter coat crisp chow mein noodles and peanuts, then get dropped into little nests to set. This peanut butter Christmas candy is done in 15 minutes from start to finish. Work quickly once the noodles are coated, because the mix starts setting as it cools, and two spoons make the job easy. If you like dump-and-stir candy, you will love our slow cooker Christmas candy too. Can you eat just one?

You will need: 1 bag (11 oz) butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 can (5 oz) chow mein noodles, 1 cup salted peanuts

How to make it: 1. Line 2 sheet pans with wax paper. 2. Melt the chips and peanut butter in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. 3. Stir in the noodles and peanuts until coated. 4. Drop heaping tablespoons onto the pans. 5. Chill 30 minutes until set.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzels

Salty pretzels dipped in a chocolate and peanut butter coating are the treat nobody can stop eating. Stirring a few spoonfuls of peanut butter into the melted chocolate makes the coating softer, glossier and nuttier than plain chocolate. Tip: tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so the extra coating drips off and the twists stay pretty. Pair them with our fudge covered crackers for a salty-sweet snack tray. How many will make it into the tin?

You will need: 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp coconut oil, 40 small pretzel twists, flaky salt optional

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Melt the chocolate, peanut butter and coconut oil in 30-second bursts. 3. Drop in a few pretzels at a time and turn to coat. 4. Lift out with a fork and tap off the extra. 5. Set on parchment and chill 30 minutes.

Crispy Rice Balls, a Crunchy Peanut Butter Christmas Candy

These crunchy peanut butter balls are a buckeye with a little extra snap, thanks to crispy rice cereal folded into the dough. Stir the cereal in last and gently, so it keeps its crunch. Chill the rolled balls until firm, dip them all the way in chocolate and drizzle white chocolate on top so they look like little ornaments. Tuck them between the layers of a blue holiday cookie tin and watch them vanish.

You will need: 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup butter melted, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 cups crispy rice cereal, 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 1 tbsp shortening, white chocolate for drizzling

How to make it: 1. Mix the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar. 2. Gently fold in the cereal. 3. Roll into 1-inch balls and chill 30 minutes. 4. Melt the chocolate with the shortening. 5. Dip the balls fully and set on parchment. 6. Drizzle with white chocolate and chill.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Snowballs

Snowballs bring a wintry look to any candy tin. A soft chocolate and peanut butter center gets rolled in shredded coconut until it looks like a snowball that landed in a cocoa mug. They taste like a cross between a buckeye and a coconut candy bar, and they need no dipping at all. Tip: chill the centers for 20 minutes before rolling, so the coconut sticks in an even, fluffy coat. Set them out next to our Christmas snowball cookies for a snowy dessert table. Ready for a snow day?

You will need: 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup butter softened, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 cup quick oats, 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

How to make it: 1. Beat the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar and cocoa until smooth. 2. Stir in the oats. 3. Roll into 1-inch balls and chill 20 minutes. 4. Roll each ball in coconut, pressing gently. 5. Chill until firm.

Peanut Butter Caramels

Soft, chewy caramels wrapped in wax paper twists are one of the most loved homemade gifts, and stirring in peanut butter at the end gives them a toasty, nutty flavor. This is the one cooked recipe here that needs a candy thermometer, and it is worth it. Stir constantly once the mixture boils and pull it off the heat at 245 F for a soft chew. Let it set overnight and cut with a buttered knife. Keep little ones away from the hot sugar. Wrap a few with our homemade marshmallows for a cozy cocoa gift bag.

You will need: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, wax paper squares

How to make it: 1. Line a 9×13 pan with buttered parchment. 2. Melt the butter, then stir in the sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk. 3. Cook, stirring constantly, to 245 F. 4. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt. 5. Pour into the pan and cool overnight. 6. Cut and wrap in wax paper.

Peanut Butter Christmas Candy Cracker Bark With Cranberries

Cracker bark is the easiest candy you can make for a crowd. Saltine or graham crackers get a layer of chocolate, ribbons of warm peanut butter swirled on top and a handful of dried cranberries for Christmas color, then the entire pan is chilled and broken into rough shards. It is a peanut butter Christmas candy you can make in 20 minutes the night before a party. If no-bake slicing candy is your style, our chocolate salami log is the next one to try.

You will need: 1 sleeve saltine or graham crackers, 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, flaky salt

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with foil and lay the crackers in one layer. 2. Melt the chocolate and spread it over the crackers. 3. Dollop warm peanut butter on top and swirl with a toothpick. 4. Sprinkle with cranberries and a pinch of salt. 5. Chill 1 hour and break into pieces.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Candy

Peanut butter cornflake candy is the crunchy, chewy cluster that fills cookie tins all across the Midwest and South. Sugar and corn syrup heat until bubbling, peanut butter stirs in, and cornflakes get folded through before the clusters are dropped onto wax paper. It is one of the cheapest kinds of peanut butter Christmas candy, made with items most pantries already have. Take the syrup off the heat as soon as it reaches a full boil, or the candy turns hard. Fans of our chunky monster cookies will grab these first.

You will need: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 6 cups cornflakes

How to make it: 1. Line 2 sheet pans with wax paper. 2. Heat the sugar and corn syrup, stirring, until it reaches a full boil. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. 4. Fold in the cornflakes until coated. 5. Drop by spoonfuls and let set 30 minutes.

Old-Fashioned Fudge, the Classic Peanut Butter Christmas Candy

Old-fashioned peanut butter fudge is the one Grandma cooked on the stove and beat by hand until it lost its shine. This easier version melts brown sugar, butter and milk, then stirs in peanut butter and powdered sugar for a soft, tender square that never turns grainy. A few chopped nuts on top add crunch. It is the peanut butter Christmas candy that ends this list because it never goes out of style. Cut it small, since it is rich, and serve it with our peanut butter blossom cookies. Who taught you to make fudge?

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup chopped nuts

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. 2. Melt the butter, brown sugar and milk and boil 2 minutes, stirring. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. 4. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. 5. Spread in the pan, top with nuts and chill 2 hours. 6. Cut into small squares.