Make the fudge and just make as many of the buckeyes as you want, and serve the rest of the fudge as-is.
BUCKEYES
peanut butter fudge (recipe below)
melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate (I use Ghiradelli dark melting wafers ~ chocolate ganache, melted chocolate chips or bark are fine)
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Prepare the peanut butter fudge per instructions. Make peanut butter fudge balls about 1/2" in diameter and put them on a big piece of wax paper on your counter.
Melt the chocolate in a smaller, somewhat deep bowl. Dip the peanut balls in however you find it easier, so that a small circle of peanut butter shows at the top. (I used a fork to put them into the chocolate ~ then a small spoon to put the chocolate over the fudge ball and let it drip down the sides. When I raised the covered fudge ball on the fork, I let the chocolate drip through the fork.)
Put the covered fudge balls onto the wax paper to set. I put them into the refrigerator to harden. It's best to keep these refrigerated because the peanut butter fudge is a very soft fudge.
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
1 cup butter (2 sticks) ~ melted
7 oz. marshmallow crème/fluff (usually 1 jar)
18 oz. peanut butter (crunchy is fine, if you want nutty fudge)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar (start with 3-1/2 cups, adding another 1/4 cup if needed)
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Add butter, marshmallow crème, peanut butter and vanilla to bowl of electric mixer. Beating on low, slowly add powdered sugar until everything is well incorporated.
Line a 9x13” pan with foil, extending over the sides, and pat the fudge into it really well ~ I use the dampened back of a spoon to get it into the corners and smooth the top. Chill at least 2 hours. Pull out of pan by the foil tabs. Cut and serve.
NOTE: This is a softer fudge, and should probably be kept in the refrigerator to store.
*** I'll usually cut the recipe in half, and put it into an 8" square pan. The whole square will fit into a freezer baggie then, to store in the refrigerator.