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I have such an easy and delicious recipe to share with you today – Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls Recipe! These are so delicious – they are just like mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, but in ball form. They melt in your mouth. They are that good.
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.
Homemade Peanut Butter Balls are always a hit!
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! I make these every year and get asked for the recipe for peanut butter balls!
If you like these, you might also want to try our Edible Cookie Dough Bites! They are delicious and super fun to make around the holidays.
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.
- 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:
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix peanut butter, room temperature butter and vanilla together in a large bowl.
- Slowly add one cup of powdered sugar to the creamy mixture, mixing well each time. *Note — I do not sift my powdered sugar. I just scoop out 1 cup full and dump it in my bowl.
- 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.
- Once all of the confectioners sugar is incorporated into the peanut butter mixture, you can start making your balls. 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:
- 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. As the water in the saucepan begins to heat up, the steam will heat up your bowl and start melting your chocolate.
- Be sure to add the shortening to your chocolate – this will make covering your peanut butter balls with chocolate a lot easier.
- 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.
- 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.
Tips for This Recipe:
- 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.
Variations:
- 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.
How to Store:
Refrigerate the peanut butter balls for up to 2-3 weeks in an air tight container.
How to Freeze Peanut Butter Balls
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.
How long can you keep peanut butter balls in the refrigerator?
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.
Peanut Butter Balls
Chocolate covered Peanut Butter Balls recipe is so easy to make and taste great. Peanut butter balls recipe taste amazing for any occasion. Try this simple Peanut butter balls recipe. Peanut butter balls are so creamy and covered with yummy chocolate. Learn how to make peanut butter balls.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
- Mix peanut butter, butter and vanilla together in a large bowl.
- Slowly add one cup of powdered sugar to the creamy mixture, mixing well each time. *Note — I do not sift my powdered sugar! I just scoop out 1 cup full and dump it in my bowl.*
- 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.
- Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated into the peanut butter mixture, you can start making your balls. Simply pinch off a small amount and roll between your hands to form a small ball. Place the peanut butter balls on the prepared cookie sheet with waxed paper.
- Once you have made all of your balls, melt your 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. As the water in the saucepan begins to heat up, the steam will heat up your bowl and start melting your chocolate. Be sure to add the shortening to your chocolate – this will make covering your peanut butter balls with chocolate a lot easier.
- One at a time, drop your peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate. Lift the ball out of the chocolate with a fork and then transfer it to the waxed paper.
- Once all of your peanut butter balls are coated, put the cookie sheet in the fridge for 15-30 minutes. This will ensure the chocolate coating is completely hardened.
Recipe Notes
Dress up this dessert by drizzling either dark or white chocolate on top!
Nutrition Facts
Calories 128kcal, Carbohydrates 13g, Protein 2g, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 56mg, Potassium 50mg, Sugar 12g, Vitamin A 70IU, Calcium 12mg, Iron 0.2mg
Yes you can use coconut oil
Can coconut oil be used instead of shortening? These are like the ones my mom used to make but they used that wax block..
Nice an easy. I used dark chocolate to offset the sweetness of the powdered sugar and I didn’t use shortening.
Try sprinkling sea salt and a touch of cayenne pepper to amp up the flavor
A big hit and delicious.
Nice an easy. I used dark chocolate to offset the sweetness of the powdered sugar and I didn’t use shortening.
A bit hit and delicious.
We are just melting the chocolate like we state in the directions. It isn’t an actual dipping sauce.
They are wonderful….. If only I could get to the recipe of dipping chocolate….. Seems like all is there but the dipping.im sure it’s me… ??
Delish! Keeper or sure
I have made these and they are great. The only difference that makes these even better is to substitute coconut shortening instead of vegetable shortening.
Also, keep them in an airtight container and in the fridge or freezer.
Enjoy!
So good! We didn’t even get them dipped in chocolate before my kids started chowing these down.
Love these recipes. Watch and try them every day. I tried recipe. Love it.
Where I used to live, they called these divine little morsels “buckeyes”. I had always had them in a milk chocolate version, but when you mentioned dark chocolate, I thought THAT would take it to a whole new level! I definitely have to make these for the holidays, as you had mentioned. Thank you!
sounds delish and easy! I would only use dark chocolate/semi-sweet chocolate for making these. Thank you!
I am looking forward to trying this with Dark Chocolate!!
These. Look so yummy.
I will make these maybe as early as next week.
Delicious just as they are. NO CHANGES!
BTW I love your recipes!
Yes, healthy. I like that 😉
Oh I love the oatmeal idea. Thank you
Thank you so much for giving your tips. I love them.
I use a toothpick to dip PB balls into chocolate. I also use a mini crockpot on low to melt chips or almond bark and have used both. Adding vanilla sounds yum. Oh, I also put the PB balls in freezer for about 10 min prior to dipping.
I really like peanut butter balls as a quick snack! I like semi-sweet chocolate coatings, and I also like to add oatmeal to the filling to give it some great texture (and to convince myself they’re good for me 😉 )
Peanut butter balls are delicious. I use milk chocolate with mine. I also sometimes add extremely diced peanuts in for a little crunch factor.
I would make these with milk chocolate and use half powdered sugar and half rice krispies!
I have made these in the past, many years ago, & quite often. Back then we added a small amount of paraffin wax (instead of shortening) to the chocolate chips. The shortening sounds like a much better optionn – easier to find (when shopping) & use.
So good! Dark chocolate is amazing with these. And……..peanut butter provides some protein, and dark chocolate antioxidants = kinda healthy snack, right 😉
I like to make peanut butter balls at easter time.
I would like to try these to take to family gathering. Lord knows I should not have 50 peanut butter balls sitting for too long on MY kitchen counter. I live alone. I love peanut butter and chocolate. Perfect example of suicide by chocolate! I’ve never made these before, but I have tried them when other people have made them. I would NOT change the recipe. I think using semi sweet chocolate chips would be the chocolate that I would use too.
My favorite chocolate candy is Dark Chocolate Carmel. I would like to find an easy recipe to make those. The only time I use white chocolate is with pretzels. Otherwise semi sweet chocolate chips are my “go to” chocolate. I love seeing the mails that I get from EAT on a DIME. By far the best recipes and ideas. Thank You
I’ve never made these before but I’d use milk chocolate for sure.
I’m anxious to try these! I’m thinking white chocolate would be pretty tasty too !
I have made peanut butter balls before. I always like to use milk chocolate on them!!
I haven’t tried this but definitely want to. I would definitely use dark chocolate as it is my favorite!
I have not made this before. However, it sounds like a great recipe to try and I could see myself trying Rice Krispies in it.
I haven’t made these before but I have tries them when others have made them. I think I might try this recipe this hiday and see how I do.
They look really good (and easy) but I would probably add mini chocolate chips to the peanut butter mixture. You can never have too much chocolate ?
I’ve made the peanut butter balls since I was a young girl now my grandkids are doing it
I’m a diabetic and I make this recipe sugar-free. First I use powdered confectioners sugar by Swerve. Second I use Hershey’s Zero Sugar chocolate chips. Both ingredients can be found at Walmart.
These are easy enough to make with my grandson! He does the rolling and I do the dipping. We BOTH do the eating! Enjoy.
I’m definitely going to try these peanut butter balls. I’m going to add some Rum to them.
I made these last year for neighborhood Christmas gifts
I flattened the balls a bit so they had more of “Reese’s” PB Cup look. Totally unnecessary.? They were a hit!
I love to cook so I’m open to all different kinds of recipes
I believe I would use dark chocolate and use rice krispies to cut down on the amount of sugar that are in these. I made these a very long time ago, but try to cut out sugar now days!
In Ohio we call these tasty treats “Buckeyes” after the buckeyes that grow on the Ohio Buckeye tree. We leave a little of the peanutbutter ball showing so they look like a real buckeye. Delish. This is the exact recipe I have used for years! Perfect as is!
Yes, dark chocolate would work great
Oh I love that idea!
I have made a recipe for these! So so good! I wouldn’t change your recipe at all and would use milk chocolate to coat. Have a great day!
Peanut Butter balls are awesome. My mother used to make them for my husband at Christmas and these always remind me of her. With how easy the recipe is why is everyone waiting until Christmas to make them when we could be enjoying them all year long. Adding Rice Krispies gives it a nice crunch.
I think my family would enjoy using crunchy peanut butter and dark chocolate for the voting. I may also chop up peanut butter chips to add to peanut butter center.
I have never made these but they look delicious. My husband loves anything chocolate and peanut butter so will be making these. I think I would use milk chocolate. Can’t wait to try them.
I love this! O haven’t made these in years but I am certainly going to make them now. I used semi sweet chips the last time I made them but I may use dark chocolate too for less sugar and stronger flavor… I have seen recipies that incorporated Graham crackers (crushed) into the peanut butter as well. I can’t wait to make these…yum!
It has been years since I have made these. This makes me want to make them again. Love these!! They are sooo good!!
Looks easy. I might substitute the chocolate chips for butterscotch ones or score toffee bits and do some with white chocolate. Mix it up.
I really want to try these. My sister-in-law makes them at Christmas and it’s one of my favorites!
I make Peanut Butter Balls every Christmas!! They are a favorite of my family. I make them with dark chocolate….yummy! I store them in the freezer (what the family doesn’t eat during the holidays) and snack on them through the year! 🙂
I have made chocolate peanut butter balls before, but coating them in chocolate was a pain. I’m looking forward to trying your trick of adding shortening to the chocolate!
Love these! I think I’ll try adding mini chocolate chips into the peanut butter mixture. It sounds delicious!
I love these peanut butter balls! My favorite combination is using milk chocolate. I use powdered PB ( Great Value brand from Walmart is lower in sugars and fat than the other brand name ones) and add Truvia to sweeten it instead of using regular PB. It’s much lower in fat but oh, so good!
I have made these for years. I also use butterscotch morsels to sometimes change the taste. My family devours them.
These are one of my absolute favorite. If you like a little crunch, you can use chunky peanut butter or a little bit of rice crispies. I’m a milk chocolate girl. Don’t mess with that dark chocolate bitterness. 🙂
I have made this many times at Christmas. A must at our house. I have also made them with graham crackers instead of all the powdered sugar.
I have made peanut butter balls before, I use chocolate disc from the candy making store in my town and you can melt it in the microwave. So much easier! Live them!
I love them just the way there are ! Very delicious
We love peanut butter balls! They were a part of my family’s Christmas traditions all throughout my growing up years. Christmas doesn’t taste quite the same without them. ?
Our favorite Christmas goodie!! My mom made them just like this growing up. I have a child with a peanut allergy so I make this exact recipe but sub the peanut butter with Sunbutter!! Huge hit!
Yes, I have made these before, they are so delicious. With their perfect size, they are very poppable. (One bite)
I can’t really decide which one I like best, because I like all three!
Love peanut butter and chocolate together in any way, milk chocolate or semi sweet as long as it isn’t bitter. LOL
Yes I have made these before. They are some what like atruffle and some what like a peanut butter cup
My roommate likes them
.
I’m so excited to make these! Reminds me of my grandma’s house years ago, she always had peanut butter balls for the holidays ?
I have made these many times and really like them with milk chocolate
I would add chunky peanut butter
These look delicious as they are, but I think they might be best with milk chocolate. I would also be interested in adding coconut!
I haven’t made these yet but I most definitely will soon and I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe maybe put sprinkles on it but nothing else
LOVE these. If you want to get extra fancy you can do a drizzle with a kind of chocolate. In Ohio we use a toothpick and leave a little peanut butter showing and call them Buckeyes ( Ohio- Buckey state)
I would definitely make this with dark chocolate as the sweetness of the inside would be enough! I can’t wait for Christmas so I can have an excuse to make them!! 🙂
I can’t wait to try these with dark chocolate chips. Trader Joe’s has a bite-size version of Reese’s cups that uses dark chocolate, and I love them, but it’d been nice to make my own at home. Thanks for all the great ideas I pick up from Eating on a Dime.
I’ve never made these before but I am definitely going to try this recipe. I think I’ll make both milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Sounds delicious!
I’ve never made them before but it looks pretty easy!
Can I use chunky PB?
I’m hypoglycemic, so I would substitute Splenda for the powdered sugar.
I make mine with Rice Krispies and a mix of creamy and crunchy peanut butter. I tried using all crunchy peanut butter but the batter was too dry.
I love peanut butter and chcolate! I would use milk chcolate as that is my favorite!
Yeah, I love peanut butter balls and these are covered in chocolate.
I have not made these before but I am going to for either Halloween or Christmas!! My daughter has been begging me to make them.
Only thing I might do different is add coconut flakes! YUMMY!
We both love milk chocolate but I’m a bigger fan of dark chocolate.
Love these Peanut Butter Balls recipe. I would make them with melted milk chocolate baking bars and omit the whole shortening step. Use a plastic fork with center prongs removed for smooth top.
I haven’t tried the recipe ,as of yet, but I will soon. The kiddos are going to love these, because they are peanutbutter lovers. Thanks for a great recipe.
Adding crushed graham crackers or pretzels could give these a nice texture and flavor variety.
I will definitely be adding this to my holiday goodies list. I love milk chocolate but may be adventurous and try other kinds of chocolate for a more colorful display. How would using almond bark instead of chocolate chips work? This would allow to make it different colors for the holidays, or sprinkle the chocolate balls with nonpareils or sprinkles. I wonder if adding peanut butter chips to the batter would give it more of that nutty flavor.
I’ve made these before. My daughter loved them! Don’t change what works!
Can’t wait to try this! Looks easy enough for me! Thanks
This looks so good. Never made this before but cannot wait. Can those be swapped for dark chocolate?
Looks yummy! I know some people who add Rice Krispies.
I love to make these as part of my Christmas candy I share with neighbors. My comment is for dipping the balls, I use a plastic fork that you remove the center prongs, this allows the chocolate to smoothly coat the peanut butter filling, and the excess to flow back into the bowl. This works great and you can toss the fork after dipping. NO Mess! And inexpensive!
That sounds delicious!
I think that you can use vegetable oil instead of shortening to help make the melted chocolate creamy.
They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
If not eating these peanut butter balls right away, how should they be stored and how long will they keep? Is it best to refrigerate until the next day? And/or will they keep in frig a week or should they be frozen?
Carrie, could you offer a sustitution for shortening in your peanut butter balls chocolate perhaps butter?
These are awesome! I remember making these as a child, one little extra thing I added was about a half teaspoon of fine salt to the peanut butter mix.
Sweet and salty combination always works well and the salt brings out sweetness especially in peanut butter! ?
Yummy I love these
Thanks for sharing!
AWE I have to make these for my grandson & son all the time. I found after you mix the butter,sugar& peanut butter, refrigerator them. It’s easier to work with cold dough.I buy melting chocolate @a party store. You don’t need to use shortening. Oh also after I make the balls, I put them in the freezer, so they are once again easier to work with. Using butter helps them to harden in the refrigerator.
These are super easy and super good. I will make them often.
I have that problem at my house too when I make these.
Made these with the kids last weekend. I was going to freeze some, but they didn’t last long enough! My husband & boys ate them ALL!!
super easy and the whole family loves it.
These are delicious and I love that they no bake. Family loves them.
A family favorite! We keep them stored in the freezer to extend their shelf life.
I made these balls for xmas eve. The family loved them and they were easy to make. I eat low carb so I also made some for myself that were low carb. The recipe was so easy to adapt. I used monkfruit powdered sugar & coconut oil in place of shortening. I dipped them in sugar-free chocolate but added stevia drops to it. They are delicious & I don’t have to feel guilty for eating them since they fit my low carb lifestyle. Even my grandkids like the low carb ones.
These are great and my family love them.
These are amazing ! I love having them around for grandkids or friends stopping by and needing a snack. Like a Reeses but not as many calories!!
Hubby and I make these for Christmas every year. So simple to make and they taste sooooooooooo good.
These are A-MA-ZING!! I used to buy these at the candy shop but they were always so waxy! These are perfectly creamy and oh-so-good!!
these are really good, we make them every year for christmas. But we don’t completely cover them in chocolate we only cover about 3/4 of them and call them buckeyes.
Super delicious! Really better and cheaper then the store bought! !
So good and so easy to make. I’m making a batch right now for Christmas.
Thank you so much!
Outstanding!! And so easy to make! Highly recommend!
That sounds delicious!
I make these every year at Christmas. I use melted almond bark to coat them with. Its a great combination.
I’m getting my grocery list ready and it’s all for this recipe. Is the shortening to keep the chocolate softer? Is like to try all versions. Balls, bars and coconut and no coconut. I just want to know what chocolate holds up best and stays softest. Please any advice I would be super thankful. Thanks. Dawn
Can I skip the butter and use shortening to mix with the PB?
These look delicious! Thank you for sharing!
They sound amazing and I love the idea of using the 9×13. Gotta make these!
Is the butter salted or nonsalted?
I cut the sugar and butter. I rolled them in cocoa. Very good. I think I’ll roll them in chopped peanuts or pecans next time. Very good.
Can you use coconut oil?
I make these peanutbutter balls
Every Christmas I use butter
And instead of chocolate chips
I buy merkins chocolate and melt
It in the microwave slowly works
Great
I make these every year for Christmas I use butter and instead of chocolate chips i use merkins chocolate and melt it in the microwave works great
What type of chocolate milk or semi-sweet?
Yum! Great idea!
Add 2 cups of rice krispies they’re amazing
The shortening is added to the chocolate when it’s melted. I think that you can definitely cover them with coconut instead of chocolate. I haven’t tried it before but it sounds delicious. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out. Thank you!
Yes, butter would work! Thanks.
Hi, When does the shortening get added? and instead of covering it with chocolate can i roll it in coconut?
an you use butter instead of shortening?
Thanks for sharing Susan. I’m glad your granddaughters and you enjoyed it!
These are so delicious and easy to make. They melt in your mouth. My Granddaughters made a batch and we will definitely be making this recipe again. It is definitely a keeper.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! My family loves these so much 🙂
This is the easiest & best recipe & delicious ?
Love that idea Heidi – Thanks for sharing!
Our family loves these so very much we make them all year long. I have also just pressed the peanutbutter mix into a 9×13 glass pan & covered top with chocolate. Then cut into squares. Love them!!!!
These balls may be easier, but, not easy?
My family loves these pb balls. I’ve tried 2 other recipes but my husband requested that I find a different one. I stumbled upon this one and it’s a huge hit. Even my mother in law, who I consider my biggest critic, loves them! I have shoulder and back issues so I try and look for recipes that are quick and easy. I use my Kitchenaid pro stand mixer to do all the “hard” mixing, I refrigerate the pb mixture before I roll them and I freeze the balls while I prepare the chocolate coating. I think freezing them before coating helps to ensure that they don’t fall apart. Oh, and I love this recipe because it doesn’t use paraffin wax. Here it is a couple days after Christmas and I’m making them once again.
I have been making these for over 20 years, got the recipe from an Southern Living Cookbook, they are always a big hit, I use the extra crunchy peanut butter and use a small amount of paraffin wax in chocolate chips instead of butter.
I have just made these and they turned out wonderful,taste great and i,m sure our church group will love them .Thanks
Do these have to be refrigerated after they are made? Thanks!
Love it
That sounds amazing Alison!
I made a version of these delicious peanut butter balls using white chocolate and dedicated coconut. Delicious!!
I never buy shortening. Can I use butter instead? I’m making these as I’m typing so I hope someone has the answer soon.?
I’ve been making these for over 20 yrs! Love them; they freeze very well. Two things to consider – refrigerate the peanut butter mixture first; they stick less and are easier to roll, and if possible, do it all in a stand mixer! Bought a Kitchen Aid mixer about 6 yrs ago and this was the first thing I used it for; will never mix by hand again!
I will be making these, look so easy to make!
thats what I like! Thank You!