Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls

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These old fashioned peanut butter balls are creamy and delicious. They are quick to whip up and make a nice food gift, too!

peanut butter balls in a white bowl on a white surface with peanut butter in the background

Chocolate + peanut butter = a delicious, but tempting combination!

In my honest opinion, you can NEVER go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter!

This easy peanut butter candy is quick to whip up! The most difficult thing, though, is NOT being able to eat just one!

Growing up, peanut butter balls were always popular, especially during Christmas! I often make them as gifts for friends and family at Christmas.

These chocolate covered peanut butter balls are so delicious and incredibly simple to make. They have been a family favorite for many years.

This recipe is adapted from my No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge recipe. Instead of peanut butter fudge, I wanted to make chocolate peanut butter truffles.

I truly believe that these are the best ever peanut butter balls!

Love peanut butter? You can easily make your own! Check out my recipe on How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Step-by-step.

Jump to:

Why this peanut butter ball recipe works
What do these old fashioned peanut butter balls taste like?
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Equipment you’ll need
HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS WITH POWDERED SUGAR
What's the best chocolate for melting?
How to melt chocolate for dipping
Recipe Notes
VARIATIONS
Toppings & Fillings
The difference between peanut butter balls and Buckeyes
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
RELATED RECIPES:
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Why this peanut butter ball recipe works

It’s a cinch. Even if you've never made your own peanut butter balls before, this recipe is a keeper. It's also a great recipe to make with kids. Super easy!
There are a handful of ingredients. You only need 5 ingredients to make these delicious peanut butter balls! And you probably already have them in your pantry.
No candy thermometer required. This simple recipe does use a candy thermometer at all.
It's a no-bake recipe. That means that there's no baking and no fuss!
A wonderful make-ahead recipe. Since these peanut butter balls freeze really well, you can make them ahead of time.
They taste amazing & don't dry out! They remind me of Reese's peanut butter cups. And they stay smooth and creamy and do not dry out at all.
It's customizable. Easily customize this recipe by adding your favorite fillings or toppings.
Great for gifting! This recipe can be easily doubled and made into yummy food gifts!

old fashioned peanut butter balls with sprinkles in a metal christmas box with lights in the background — Peanut butter balls make the perfect food gift for Christmas!

What do these old fashioned peanut butter balls taste like?

These creamy peanut butter balls are absolutely heavenly! They're smooth, creamy, and dreamy, loaded with peanut butter flavor. I also love the fact that the stay creamy and don't dry out or get crumbly.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Ingredients for old fashioned peanut butter balls

Peanut butter: I use store-bought creamy peanut butter. While testing this recipe, I found it created a better texture than natural peanut butter.
Butter: I use unsalted softened butter. You can use salted butter, too, if you want to balance out the sweetness.
Sugar: I use powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar).
Melted chocolate: I use semi sweet chocolate, which is perfect for dipping. However, you can use milk chocolate or even white chocolate, too.
Oil: I use a little bit of vegetable oil in the chocolate. It really helps make the chocolate smooth, perfect for dipping!

Equipment you’ll need

large mixing bowl (microwave-safe)
parchment paper
baking sheet
hand mixer
cookie scoop (optional)
dipping tool (optional)

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS WITH POWDERED SUGAR

Step-by-step instructions

a collage of photos of making peanut butter balls steps 5-8

STEP 1

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter and the butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pierce a few holes on top using a knife to release any steam.

STEP 2

Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Take it out of the microwave, remove the plastic wrap, and stir the mixture well.

STEPS 3- 4

Gradually sift the powdered sugar over the peanut butter mixture. Mix with a hand mixer to combine.

TOP TIP

Sifting the powdered sugar ensures that there are no lumps in the filling for a smoother, creamier texture.

STEP 5

The mixture should resemble stiff dough so that you're able to hold a piece in your hand. If not, add more sugar. Form balls, about an inch in size. I like using a cookie scoop.

STEP 6

Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then place the balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.

STEPS 7-8

Melt the chocolate and vegetable oil together. Use a dipping tool or a fork to dip the balls in the melted chocolate, one at a time. Then place them on parchment lined baking sheet. Add any toppings before the chocolate sets.

What's the best chocolate for melting?

To me, couverture chocolate is the best chocolate for melting and dipping. Couverture chocolate is basically a high-quality chocolate that has a higher percentage of cocoa butter, which helps it melt better.

This is why I wouldn't use ordinary chocolate chips, because most don't have such a high ratio of cocoa butter, so when they melt, the chocolate is quite thick, which is not ideal for dipping.

How to melt chocolate for dipping

There are 2 simple ways to do this. Either melt the chocolate over a bowl of just simmering water (aka a double boiler or bain-marie), or melt it in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between each increment.

Recipe Notes

Storage Tips

You can store these peanut butter balls in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 4-5 days, in the refrigerator for about 2 ½ weeks, or in the freezer for about 2 ½ months.

Freezing Instructions

These peanut butter balls freeze really well. Just place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container. Then place a piece of parchment paper on top and then add another layer of balls. The parchment paper will prevent the balls from sticking together.

My husband loves these peanut butter balls frozen, straight out of the freezer!

VARIATIONS

Plain peanut butter balls

Make these peanut balls plain without dipping them in melted chocolate.

Milk chocolate peanut butter balls

Dip these balls in milk chocolate if you like sweeter truffles.

Vegan chocolate covered peanut butter balls

Easily make these delicious peanut butter balls vegan by using both vegan butter for the filling and vegan chocolate for the coating. Keep in mind that depending on the brand of vegan butter you use, you might need to add a little more powdered sugar.

Toppings & Fillings

Make old fashioned peanut butter balls with coconut! Instead of dipping the balls in melted chocolate, you can roll them in some shredded coconut. You could add some coconut to the filling, too.
Add some Christmas sprinkles or nonpareils on top for festive candy.
For more texture, you could use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth for the filling. You can also add some corn flakes or crispy rice cereal, like rice krispies. Personally, I prefer peanut butter balls without rice krispies, because I love the creamy texture inside.
Top the chocolate with chopped peanuts or walnuts.
Add about 1 cup crushed Lotus Biscoff cookies to the filling for a touch of caramel flavor.

The difference between peanut butter balls and Buckeyes

If you've never heard of buckeyes, they're similar to peanut butter balls. Their name comes from the nuts of the buckeye tree. Since buckeyes are partially dipped in chocolate with a visible circle of peanut butter at the top, they resemble these nuts. Buckeye candies are also Ohio's official state candy.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Freezing the balls for at least half an hour makes it a lot easier to dip in the melted chocolate. It also helps the chocolate set faster.
If the chocolate thickens after a while, you can easily reheat for a few seconds it in the microwave or over a double boiler.
When you dip the balls in chocolate, try to tap off as much excess chocolate as possible to get a more consistent, uniform look.
Using parchment paper makes it easier to remove the peanut butter balls and avoids a mess in the kitchen.
Let the chocolate set for at least half an hour before storing.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do you keep peanut butter balls from sticking to your hands?

If you want, you can dust your hand with some powdered sugar before you roll the mixture into balls. Generally speaking, though, if there's enough powdered sugar in the filling, the peanut butter balls will not stick to your hands when you roll them into balls.

How long do peanut butter balls last?

You can store these peanut butter balls in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 4-5 days, in the refrigerator for about 2 ½ weeks or in the freezer for about 2 ½ months.

What are peanut butter balls made of?

For the ultimate peanut butter flavor, this recipe only has peanut butter, powdered sugar and a little butter. They're all rolled together and then dipped into chocolate.
However, you could adjust the peanut butter filling by adding a different flavors, like vanilla extract, rice krispies, or even chopped peanuts, just to name a few.

Let me know how these Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls turn out for you in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy!

~Voula

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