This Peanut Butter Balls recipe should come with a warning label. It is impossible to resist the creamy peanut butter center, dipped in a luxurious semisweet chocolate coating.
Biting into one of these sweet treats is like taking a first class trip to heaven. And they are so easy to make, anyone can do it!
On my list of favorite holidays, Valentine’s Day has always been at the top. Silly? Maybe. But I’ve always loved the idea of a holiday that celebrates love and sweetness.
Even on the years when I didn’t have a Valentine, I always managed to find one. Kids make great Valentines – they always deliver cute little homemade cards and gifts. And never underestimate the power of a Galentine. Those years were some of the best!
Every year, though, is a good time for chocolate treats. And this easy Peanut Butter Balls recipe is right at home on the holiday of love.
What’s in these chocolate peanut butter balls?
With only a few simple ingredients, these no bake peanut butter balls (i.e. truffles) are one of the easier things to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Vanilla frosting. Go for a regular can of vanilla frosting, not the whipped kind.
- Creamy peanut butter. Skip the crunchy peanut butter for this recipe. Also skip the natural peanut butter. Only a smooth peanut butter will have the sweetness and texture that yield an insanely delicious peanut butter filling.
- Graham crackers. Choose the regular honey grahams, not cinnamon flavored.
- Softened butter
- Semi-sweet chocolate. Although I have not tested this recipe with milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate, you should be okay using those kinds if you prefer. Just make sure you’re using baking chocolate. More on that later.
The kind of chocolate that you use is important. I have tried using semi-sweet chocolate chips and even melted chocolate frosting. You end up with yummy peanut butter truffles, but sticky, mess ones. Nobody wants a sticky, messy truffle.
You want a nice matte finish on your peanut butter balls. And the way to get it is to use baking chocolate.
Baking chocolate can easily be found at the supermarket, and it comes in bars. It melts nicely over very low heat, and if it ever gets too thick you can thin it with a tiny bit of coconut oil.
How to make this Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Making these chocolate-covered peanut butter balls is easy. It’s a great recipe to make with your Valentine, no matter their age.
First, combine the butter, peanut butter and vanilla frosting together. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor to make crumbs, and throw them into the bowl with the rest of ingredients. Then, form little balls with your hands.
After an hour or so in the fridge, the peanut butter balls will be ready to dip in melted chocolate. The best way to melt baking chocolate is in a saucepan on the stove. Skip the double boiler, you won’t need it. Just melt the chocolate over very low heat and stir it constantly.
The dipped balls will set pretty quickly, so you’ll need to hustle if you want to top them with sprinkles or other decorations. Having two people makes it easier – one for dipping the balls, the other for decorating them.
Why are my Peanut Butter Balls so sticky?
If the chocolate coating on your peanut butter balls is sticky, it’s likely because you’re using the wrong kind of chocolate.
Melted chocolate frosting and melted chocolate chips will not yield the smooth, matte finish that you’re looking for. To get a smooth peanut butter ball that won’t stick to your fingers, always use melted baking chocolate.
Do Peanut Butter Balls need to be refrigerated?
Yes. In order to keep the consistency and texture, it’s important to refrigerate peanut butter balls so that they don’t become soft and lose their shape. Place them in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll last for weeks!
Mini Me and I have been making these no bake treats together since she was little. This year, as she was carefully sprinkling each little truffle with the exact right amount of decoration, she said, “Mom… I really love these.” I couldn’t agree more.
When you make this Peanut Butter Balls recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment or drop a rating below. Happy Valentine’s Day!
For more sweet treats, try these:
- Champagne Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
- Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Homemade Oreo Cookies
For more peanut butter recipes, try these:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Butter Board Recipe with Peanut Butter and Candy
- Fluffernutter Thumbprint Cookies
Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. can vanilla frosting
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz graham crackers
- 12 oz semisweet baking chocolate
- 1/4-1/2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Combine the vanilla frosting, peanut butter and butter in a large bowl.
- Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs into the peanut butter mixture.
- Using your hands, form 1/2 inch balls out of the peanut butter mixture. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
- In a saucepan over very low heat, melt the chocolate, stirring constantly. Add coconut oil as needed to thin it out. Using a fork, carefully dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off and then place back onto the prepared baking sheet.
- If decorating, apply the decoration quickly before the chocolate has a chance to set. Place the baking sheet back into the refrigerator to let the chocolate set completely. Store in the refrigerator.
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