Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
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These Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls are certainly an old favorite and much better than anything you will find in the candy aisle.
Are there ever enough Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls to go around? I don’t think so. Chocolate and peanut butter is a combination that’s hard to beat, don’t you think? These easy treats are perfect for parties or as a surprise for any chocolate and peanut butter lover. Watch them disappear!
Plus, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls couldn’t be easier to make. Really. Dipping treats in chocolate may be intimidating to some, but once you try it a couple of times, it is really very easy. I promise. Be sure to check out the Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe notes below for all kinds of helpful tips.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls recipe notes:
- Make sure there is room in the fridge for chilling a baking sheet of these. Chilling is important!
- The peanut butter dough can be made ahead, tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a couple of days until ready to form the balls.
- Finished peanut butter “dough” should be firm enough to make a ball that holds together. Additional powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) may be needed. Just add a tablespoon or so until the correct consistency is reached.
- Warm hands will make the dough soften. If dough begins to soften, return the dough to refrigerator to firm back up for a little while. The same can be said for working in a warm space. If it’s hot where you are, you may need to keep returning the dough to the refrigerator, and/or add more powdered sugar to thicken up dough.
- A wooden skewer or thick toothpick will help for dipping the peanut butter balls in chocolate. Once dipped and excess chocolate has dripped off, slide a fork under the ball (skewer between tines) and pull the skewer out from below, while holding ball with fork. Then use skewer to gently push ball off of fork onto lined baking pan.
- For chocolate dipping, try this tip I learned from my friend, Bakerella. Once dipped in chocolate, while holding the skewered peanut butter ball over container of melted chocolate, gently tap your wrist or hand with your other hand until the excess chocolate drips off. I thought it was an odd thing to tap my wrist or arm instead of just shake the stuff off, until I tried it. Works like a charm!
- Peanut Butter treats always makes me feel sad for those that are allergic to peanut butter. For those with peanut allergies (and those who like almonds) check out these Chocolate Almond Butter Balls.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Chocolate and peanut butter are an all-time favorite combo for many of us, plus, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls couldn't be easier to make.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (substitute other nut butters, if needed)
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 cup+ powdered sugar
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Mix peanut butter and butter together in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until combined well into a dough ball. If needed, add more powdered sugar a little at a time until mixture holds together in a large ball. Cover and let peanut butter dough sit for about 15 minutes to firm up, or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to form balls.
- Shape into 1-inch balls, place on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow to firm up. Dough balls should hold shape before dipping in chocolate. Add more refrigeration time if necessary.
- Melt chocolate according to package instructions.
- Dip peanut butter balls one at a time into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- The peanut butter dough can be made ahead, tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a couple of days until ready to form the balls. Once peanut butter balls are formed, they can also be covered in plastic wrap ad refrigerated until ready to dip in chocolate.
- Finished peanut butter "dough" should be firm enough to make a ball that holds together. Additional powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) may be needed. Just add a tablespoon or so until the correct consistency is reached. If peanut butter dough seems too soft, tightly wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up before forming balls.
- Warm hands will make the dough soften. If dough begins to soften, return the dough to refrigerator to firm back up for a little while. The same can be said for working in a warm space. If it's hot where you are, you may need to keep returning the dough to the refrigerator, and/or add more powdered sugar to thicken up dough.
- If concerned with peanut allergies, substitute an almond butter or other nut butter that is allowed for the peanut butter.
Wow, this recipe is really easy and looks delicious!!!
They are easy, and kinda fun to make too. Nothing like playing with chocolate and peanut butter!
Your tip to tap the wrist was very sweet. I probably wouldn’t have thought of despite the frustration of dropping several balls back into the chocolate.
You can add some rice krispies and skor too 🙂
Hi have you heard that you should. Add paro wax to the chocolate before dipping the balls
Are we suppose to use paraffin in melting the chocolate and if so how much tyLynn
About 1/2 a bar of Paraffin wax to a bag of chips, shaved into small pieces
I always use the chocolate bark. It melts very well and doesn’t need to be thinned.
Great idea……I love bark
Peanut butter amount is about half of what you need unless you’re making about 15 balls. Then you only need half the amount of chocolate. Great recipe just need to adjust amounts in ingredients.
They are both! I’ve been making these at Christmas for years, only thing I changed, long ago, was that I use crunchy peanut butter, just gives them a little boost. I general make an freeze about 3-4 dozen centers, if I can keep the family out of them, they go in baskets as gifts, if not, I’ve had years when I ended up having to make way more! thankfully it doesn’t take long to make. After a couple of years of them “disappearing” I finally put them in the big freezer, locked the door and hid the key!!!! Well worth the effort to make.
i use a piece is Styrofoam wrapped in wax paper and after dipping i turn up and stick into the Styrofoam…great been making for 30 years..
Stunning photography and I’ll take at least a dozen 🙂 Pinned!
Hello Averie,
Thank you! You are too sweet. I’ll have three dozen waiting for ya. We’ll have a peanut butter ball party!
Yummy! Thanks for the recipe! It’s on my to make list!
Yay! Let me know how they turn out.
I’m allergic
Oil works perfect for thinning the chocolate,a whole lot healthier for you too
I used grape seed oil,I imagine any oil would work
Soooo I was just on twitter and I am Never on twitter and these were all up in my face! They are amazing and I am starving and I may consider ditching everything I am supposed to be doing right now to make them happen
Hello Heather!
I’d say that’s a great idea! 😉 What could be better than playing with chocolate and peanut butter?
Peanut Butter Balls are one of my favorite things in the world. YUM!
Mine too, Robyn! And Randy’s … and Hope’s … Hank, not so much. Can you believe that?!?
I found the paraffin makes the balls shiny and they are not sticky. The paraffin also makes the chocolate go farther without having to reheat it.
There is never enough peanut butter balls! Love these, Amy! They look delicious!
Howdy Tieghan,
No, there don’t seem to be enough of them. And as easy as they are to make, I’m afraid. Real afraid.
they are easy and fun! I made a double batch of these yesterday. But I need help! I used a good brand, milk chocolate chips. After melting the chips and rewarming a couple of times, I got about a dozen peanut butter balls dipped. Now the chocolate is so dry it won’t melt. I tried adding a little oil, too late I guess! HELP! Just can’t seem to get the hang of dipping chocolate
Melted chocolate can be finicky at times. I’m not sure what method you are using to melt the chocolate. Using a microwave to melt chocolate has proven to be a bit frustrating at times for me. I usually use a warm water bath stovetop to melt chocolate (a bowl placed over or in a pot/pan of hot water: check out this link: https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-melt-chocolate-alice-medrichs-smart-easy-method-expert-tip-197405). Once the chocolate has melted, I turn the stove off, and leave the bowl of chocolate over the water bath to keep it warm. I hope that makes sense. Also, I have an electric fondue pot that I often use to melt chocolate, then keep it on low or turn it on and off frequently to keep the chocolate melted.
I use a very small crockpot for melting/dipping chocolate. It stays perfect for long periods of time so no need to re-heat!
Merry Christmas!
y’all ought to try putting some Carmel Mocha Liqueur in them or Irish Cream-I make these every year at Christmas time along with Rum Balls dipped in chocolate and of course Jack Daniels Fudge
These look so simple and so delicious! I’d totally try them with almond butter, too.
Pinning!
Abbie,
Let me know how you like them with the Almond Butter. And what about making cashew butter and using that? Whoa.
Peanut butter balls are the best! So good!
Hello Jessica!
They are a favorite for so many. Dangerously good.
LURVE these! They’re just like my beloved buckeye but BETTER!
I know! We should get together sometime and make more! Like a ton of em.
They are delicious and so simple and that earns them a spot in my cookies and candies Christmas baskets oh so yummy
These are some of my favorite treats!! Love!
They’re some of our favorites too, Katrina. I just need to be able to banish them from my mind for a while so I don’t keep making them. So easy and so good.
Any recommendations on which type of smooth peanut butter? Is the processed peanut butter better than natural peanut butter?
I skipped Christmas; a move was in order and though so happy to be in my new home, I’m sort of craving some of those treats I totally missed. Then this shows up. I could easily take a cue from Heather and play hooky with everything else today and make these. So yum.
Hey there Barbara,
I’ve been feeling the same way, and just had to take some time to bake and chill. It’s therapeutic, don’t ya think?
Glad to hear about your happy new home! Congratulations!
Your photos are just awesome – had to stop by and say that 🙂 Can’t wait to try these!
Hello Ashley!
Thank you so much. So glad you stopped by. That made my day! 🙂
These would be so dangerous in front of me because I’m pretty sure I’d eat the entire tray!
Susan, don’t ask how many I’ve eaten. Just don’t.
Thank you Jenny!
They a favorite—a dangerous favorite—around here. Oh my word …
Could only get about 16 to 18 balls out of this mixture and was having to make them small to stretch that many out. Also only used about half the chocolate for these. Seems if the peanut butter amount stated should’ve one cup instead of a half cup. But other than that they turned out great.
We started making these during the holidays. My son has a peanut allergy so we used WOW Butter. Oh my gosh….soooo good! Tastes so much like Reeses (even without real PB) We also used chocolate almond bark for the coating.
Oh wow! That does sound marvelous, Alison. And a chocolate almond bark coating … great idea!
Whoa…I could pop every single one of those in my mouth right now! Cannot wait to make these! I have to tell you…I just adore the way you styled that shot and the type…it’s perfect!
Thank you so much Caroline! It was a fun recipe to make AND eat. They were dangerous to have around. So good!
Hey there.
Quick question-does the butter have to be salted? These look so amazing, but I only have unsalted butter on hand.
Thanks!
Unsalted is great! If you’d like, add a pinch or two of salt to taste.
These look fantastic Amy! 🙂
Quick question: what did you use do dip them in the chocolate?
I think i’m going to make these for the Superbowl on Sunday!
Natalie, I used a wooden toothpick. A skewer would work well too.
Thanks Amy. These turned out incredible! Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
So glad to hear it!
I just made these..they were so good. My husband and son loved them. I had to hide them in the refrigerator so they last a few days!..lol! Thank you for the recipe.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoy them. I know what you mean about hiding them. 😉 They are seriously a test for self-control.
These look amazing and I’m trying to make them right now but the dough won’t let me roll it it falls apart :0
If the dough is soft, cover it tightly and place it the refrigerator until it firms up.
These look great going to make them right now 🙂