Old Fashioned Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Peanut butter balls are a “must-have” on our Christmas treat tray! Rich and creamy peanut butter filling with a smooth chocolate coating.
Why You’ll Love These
Seriously, they are like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but homemade and taste way better.
They are like buckeye balls but completely covered in chocolate.
These make great gifts for friends and neighbors. They are always received with huge praise.
I received this recipe from a co-worker years ago and have been making it ever since. I consider these the BEST peanut butter balls I have ever eaten.
They are old fashioned peanut butter balls because the old recipes didn’t use graham cracker crumbs or rice cereal. Which, in my opinion, is the only way to make them
Some of our other favorite treats to make during the Christmas holidays are chocolate covered pretzel rods, eggnog cookie recipe, dark chocolate peppermint bark, and peppermint fudge.
Just 4 Ingredients
Honest, only four simple ingredients! These no-bake peanut butter balls are really easy and so delicious!
- Peanut butter – We prefer smooth and creamy peanut butter but if you like chunky, go for it. Use brands like Skippy, Jif, or Peter Pan. Do not use all-natural peanut butter.
- Unsalted butter – You can use salted butter if you like.
- Confectioners’ sugar ( powdered sugar) – Adds sweetness and helps bind the peanut butter.
- Almond bark (Candiquik) or candy melts – For the chocolate coating.
How to Make Peanut Butter Balls
In a saucepan, melt the peanut butter and butter together over medium heat.
Prepare a baking sheet with wax paper.
Remove it from the heat and add the confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar).
Let cool to room temperature or enough to handle easily.
Roll the peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls and refrigerate to chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
This is the most time-consuming step. Melt almond bark per the package instructions, dip each ball into melted chocolate to coat let excess chocolate drip off.
If you prefer not to use the almond bark, you can melt a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with one tablespoon of vegetable oil or coconut oil.
You can melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
Feel free to use white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate. It’s your choice.
Place balls dipped in chocolate on wax paper to dry completely.
These old-fashioned chocolate peanut butter balls are also known as Buckeyes. Or even a peanut butter cup in ball form.
Tips And Variations
- Make sure to chill the peanut butter balls before dipping them in the chocolate. It makes the process much easier.
- You can also use melted chocolate chips instead of candy melts. Just melt a bag of your favorite chocolate chips with one teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil. Chocolate chips are necessarily made for melting, so you will need to add the oil.
- You can melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals or use a double boiler.
- If your chocolate starts to thicken, melt it again, being careful not to burn the chocolate.
- You can also use a toothpick to coat the peanut butter balls in the chocolate.
Variations
- We love the smooth peanut butter for these, but you can use crunchy peanut butter.
- You can use festive sprinkles for the tops. Such as chocolate sprinkles, chopped peanuts, toffee bits, or even flaky sea salt.
- Drizzle the tops with semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.
- Shape them into eggs for Easter.
FAQ
No, you need to use no-stir peanut butter for this recipe. The filling will not set up properly when using natural peanut butter.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week, or even in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Both work fine.
Yes, allow them to set up completely. Layer in an airtight container between parchment paper or wax paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. (The chocolate might discolor a bit.) When thawing, they might also sweat a little. Layering them between paper towels will help absorb the moisture.
More Delicious Recipes
Old Fashioned Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 12 oz peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 1 lb confectioners sugar
- 1 lb almond bark or candy melts
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the peanut butter and butter together.1 cup unsalted butter, 12 oz peanut butter
- Remove from the heat and add the confectioners’ sugar.1 lb confectioners sugar
- Allow to cool enough to handle, shape into balls. (about 1 inch) Refrigerate to chill.
- Melt almond bark per package instructions, dip each ball into chocolate to coat, place on wax paper to dry completely.1 lb almond bark or candy melts
I love anything with peanut butter. I plan to do a little Christmas baking on Wednesday, I need to add this to my list! Yum!
These are my favorite thing at Christmas time! These are making my mouth water……..?
😉
These look so good! I know the grandkids would love them. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for stopping by, Linda Sue!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I need to try and make these – my son and husband love them. My grandmother used to make them for us along with homemade fudge and peanut clusters every year but she is now 93 and unable to do it anymore.
Kimberlee, thank you for stopping by! I hope you try them…so yummy!
Mmm peanut butter and chocolate! Mouth watering!!! Thanks for sharing on the Small Victories Sunday Linkup!
Your Peanut Butter Balls look awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a great holiday season!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Yummy! We make these same PB balls a few times a year; though we’ve never heated them. Usually we just use some room temperature/ softened butter and mixed it with the peanut butter and powdered sugar. I keep saying we’re going to “mix it up” by coating them in something other than chocolate but the combination of PB and chocolate is just too much to resist!
I totally agree!
One of my favorite things at Christmas time! Can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate! 😉 #SmallVictories
Looks yumm, I can eat at anytime. thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning and tweeting.
These look like Buckeyes only we don’t cover the entire ball, we leave a little peanut butter showing so it looks like the Buckeye nut, hence the name. Perfect suggestion for the smoked wings and white bbq sauce.
Trying this recipe and heating it up and then trying to make the balls, doesn’t quite make sense.🤷🏻♀️
Hi, Regina. It works perfectly.