Buc-ee's got its start in Texas in 1982, and since then, the popular gas station has expanded with locations popping up all over the South. Known for their massive size -- seriously, Buc-ee's currently holds the world record for largest convenience store thanks to its location in New Braunfels, Texas, which is 66,335 square feet -- Buc-ee's has just about every gas station snack you can imagine, from barbecue to homemade fudge to chips, beef jerky, gummies and more, but it's the (usually) sweet corn puffs known as Beaver Nuggets that have become the standout snack for many.
Beaver Nuggets now come in a variety of flavors, including sea salted caramel, cinnamon sweet, bold n' sorta spicy, white cheddar and white cheddar habanero, these days, it's the original flavor that remains one of Buc-ee's top-selling snacks. So, what are Beaver Nuggets, exactly? While the name might bring on visions of chicken nuggets, the real thing is much closer to Corn Pops.
In the simplest terms, Beaver Nuggets are essentially puffed corn that's covered in a brown sugar coating. They're described as being "crunchy, sweet, and addictive," according to Texas Snax, which goes on to say "each bite delivers a satisfying combination of a caramel-coated exterior and a puffy interior, offering a notable crunch."
We don't know how a snack with such a less-than-appealing name became an icon of such a popular chain, but they did. Buc-ee's has said Beaver Nuggets are their best selling snack, and Food and Wine even named them as Texas's best snack, calling them "deliciously evil".
So by now, you're probably craving a bag of the sweet corn puffs if you've had them before or, if you haven't, you're probably eager to try 'em. The easiest way to get your hands on some Beaver Nuggets is, of course, to head to the nearest Buc-ee's and stock up. However, if you don't live close to one of the mega convenience stores, you can also order them online through reseller site Texas Snax or try your luck on Amazon.
Another option? Try your hand at making them at home as there are plenty of copycat recipes out there to choose from. For instance, Allrecipes offers up a way to make Beaver Nuggets in the comfort of your own kitchen by coating plain store-bought corn puffs with a combination of brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Meanwhile, Imperial Sugar has a similar recipe except theirs include maple extract as well. There's also plenty of YouTube tutorials, like this one for "Badger Brittle" by the Pressure Luck Cooking channel, offering up ways to make a snack similar enough to Beaver Nuggets to satisfy any cravings.
Any homemade version might not live up to the crunchy sweetness Beaver Nuggets serves up, but hey, at the very least, it'll make a decent road snack during the drive to Buc-ee's to score the real thing.
Read more:
10 things you might not know about Buc-ee's
I visited Buc-ee's for the first time, and yep. It's impressive.
Things we say when we visit Buc-ee's
20 snacks everyone should eat during a road trip
Bin 612 in the Cotton DistrictPhoto provided by Starkville, Miss.
Liza Tye CompanyPhoto provided by Starkville, Miss.
