I have such an easy and delicious recipe to share with you today Peanut Butter Balls. They are just like mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but in ball form. They melt in your mouth. They are that good.
Easy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe has amazing texture and full of flavor. Chocolate and peanut butter is the perfect combination for the best holiday treat. No bake peanut butter balls are easy to make and easy easily be decorated for all of your holiday dessert trays.
If you love these peanut butter balls, then you may love Butterfinger Balls, Peppermint Oreo Balls and Quick and Easy Cake Balls.
What's in this post: Peanut Butter Balls
Why We Love This Recipe
It’s become a family tradition to make these for holidays and parties. It doesn’t get any easier than Peanut Butter Balls Recipe no bake. If you like these, you might also want to try our Edible Cookie Dough Bites or Cool Whip Candy. They are delicious and super fun to make around the holidays.
You only need a handful of ingredients and a little time and you will soon be enjoying these peanut butter balls for yourself.
We always put together plates of goodies for the neighbors and these little gems are very popular. Try this easy no bake recipe today.
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter – I have found that creamy works the best. You can use crunchy if want an added crunch. I do not recommend natural peanut as it separates when it’s mixed with the other ingredients to the balls don’t hold together as well.
- Butter – Softened at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract – This adds a subtle sweetness that is delicious in this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar – I don’t shift it and it works great every time.
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Use your favorite type of Chocolate – These peanut butter balls are great dipped in milk, white or dark chocolate.
- Add Rice Krispies – You can replace half of the powdered sugar amount with rice krispies to give these peanut butter balls an added crunch.
- Use any type of nut butter – Generally, I make these with peanut butter but if you’re allergic, these can also be made with any type of nut butter. Almond Butter, Cashew Butter or Sunflower Butter would all be delicious in this recipe.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – You can also use almond bark or dark chocolate chips as well if you prefer.
- Shortening – This is necessary as it makes the chocolate creamy and ensures that the chocolate coating is smooth on these peanut butter balls.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- Step 1 – Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2 – Mix peanut butter, room temperature butter and vanilla together in a large bowl. Combine with a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Step 3 – Slowly add one cup of powdered sugar to the creamy mixture, mixing well each time.
Step 4 – By the time you get to the third cup of powdered sugar, the mixture will become very difficult to stir with a spoon. Take your rings off and start mixing with your hands.
Step 5 – Simply pinch off a small amount and roll between your hands to form a small ball. I use a cookie scoop. Place the peanut butter balls on the prepared cookie sheet with waxed paper.
How to Coat Peanut Butter Balls
Step 1 – Once you have made all of your balls, melt the chocolate. My favorite way to do this is in the double boiler, but if you don’t have one, you can simply put a metal or glass bowl on top of a saucepan with about an inch of water in it
Step 2 – Then one at a time, drop your peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate chips. Lift the ball out of the milk chocolate with a fork, allow the excess chocolate to drip off and then transfer it to the waxed paper.
- Step 3 – Once all of your peanut butter balls have been dipped in chocolate, put the cookie sheet in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to harden the chocolate.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the Peanut Butter Balls are frozen before dipping. This will make sure that the balls don’t fall apart.
- Use a fork to dip the balls into the chocolate so that the excess chocolate will drip off the fork.
- Do not overcook the chocolate. Overcooked chocolate will become clumpy and will not be smooth on these peanut butter balls.
How to Decorate
- Holiday Sprinkles – You can decorate these peanut butter balls with sprinkles for the holidays. Red and Green for Christmas or pastel colors for Easter.
- Drizzle Chocolate – Drizzle them with caramel or white chocolate syrup for a fun and eye pleasing treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peanut Butter balls are best eaten fresh. You can keep them in the fridge up to 2 weeks as long as they are in an airtight container. You can also freeze peanut butter balls up to 2-3 months.
Refrigerate the peanut butter balls for up to 2-3 weeks in an air tight container.
If you prefer to freeze the peanut butter balls, place them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Perfect to plan ahead for the holidays.
More Easy Chocolate and Peanut Butter Recipes
We love to hear from you. If you make chocolate covered peanut butter balls, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 12 oz bag of chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons shortening
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Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter, ½ cup softened butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. By the third cup, the mixture will become thick, so use your hands to fully combine.
- Pinch off small portions of the mixture and roll between your hands to form small balls. Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet.
- In a double boiler (or a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water), melt 1 (12 oz) bag chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons shortening, stirring until smooth.
- Dip each peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate, then lift it out with a fork and place it back onto the waxed paper.
- Once all the balls are coated, refrigerate for 15–30 minutes until the chocolate is fully set
I love this easy recipe they’re very delicious.
Thank you so much for sharing Darlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the positive review!
I would love to make one of your meals having a hard time struggling bad with Depression
I’m so sorry to hear this Marie. I’m thinking for you during this time and pray for peace and recovery for you.
If I cut the sugar in half, will it impact the structure at all?
Heidi – I’m thinking it will and the balls likely won’t hold their shape. Add in the sugar until the mixture is firm to ensure that the peanut butter balls keeps their ball shape when setting.