The legend and drama behind 'Buckeye Balls,' plus a history of chocolate and peanut butter combos

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Chocolate is one of the most popular candies among American sweet consumers.

On an annual basis, U.S. chocolate lovers consume over 6 billion pounds of chocolate confectionery, according to Statista.

Snickers, KitKat, Hershey's, Twix and Reese's are among some of the most well-known and widely purchased candy bar brands.

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In 2021, Reese's was the most popular brand of chocolate consumed by Americans, and in 2023, the company reported a net income of $1.86 million.

The creamy chocolate and peanut butter combination was created in the 1920s by a Hershey Company employee.

H.B. Reese was a Hershey's employee in the 1920s who first developed the recipe for the now-beloved Reese's cups. (Reuters/Mike Blake/File)

H.B. Reese tapped into the first Reese’s cup recipe in his basement. 

Since the development of the candy, the decadent flavor pairings of sweet chocolate and salty peanut butter have evangelized an entire community of consumers.

But Reese’s branded treats aren’t the only favorable chocolate and peanut butter duo existing among those with a sweet tooth.

Reese's offers a wide variety of chocolate and peanut butter treats for sweet lovers, including popcorn, white chocolate-covered cups, Reese's Pieces bites and a lineup of Reese's Peanut Butter Lovers candies. (The Hershey Company)

In the 1960s, in the great state of Ohio, also referred to as the Buckeye State, legend has it that Buckeye Balls were first unveiled.

There is no true proof that the alleged creator, Gail Tabor, reimagined the chocolate and peanut butter recipe herself. 

A newspaper clipping found in the Arizona Republic from the 1980s featured a column titled "The story about where popular Buckeye Balls started."

The submission, under Tabor's byline, told the tale of a stolen recipe.

Tabor, a former Ohio resident, said that in December 1964 she was covering peanut butter balls with chocolate. 

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Unable to dip the ball in totality, she noticed that the sweet treat resembled a buckeye nut and coined the term "Buckeye Ball."

Tabor said she often kept the beloved recipe secret, but a "conniving" woman begged to whisk the recipe away to Oklahoma and maintain the secrecy, to which Tabor said she obliged. 

Later, she discovered the woman claimed the recipe as her own in a submission to the Ohio State alumni magazine.

Legend has it that "Buckeye Balls" were first discovered by accident in 1964 by a former Ohio woman. (Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images/File)

Though Tabor claimed furiousness, the recipe was a hit among Ohioans and is now enjoyed among Americans across the globe.

Buckeye Balls recipe, according to Gail Tabor

Ingredients

• 4 pounds powdered sugar
• 1 pound butter
• 6 or more tablespoons of peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 block canning wax

Directions

First, combine powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Add a bit of milk if necessary. Once combined, roll the ingredients into small balls.

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Then, melt the chocolate chips and canning wax on top of a double boiler. Make sure both the chocolate and wax are mixed to avoid wax rising to the top. 

With a toothpick, dip the balls into the chocolate but do not cover them completely. 

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Set the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator.

You can store the candies in a freezer bag and thaw them when ready to eat again.

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