Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls are a delicious peanut butter confection with chocolate coating. They’re perfect for displaying at parties and also for gifting to others.
These chocolate peanut butter balls have been a sweet treat I’ve been making since my early college days. They’re super simple to make, and they’re a good one to get the kids involved in making since you need to form 36 balls from the peanut butter mixture. Put the kids to work with clean hands!
This is a treat that everyone reaches for at a party because people are drawn to chocolate and peanut butter. Plus, a one-to-two bite treat seems less indulgent… and people appreciate that.
How to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls:
You’ll combine powdered sugar with peanut butter and butter. I like to use crunch peanut butter because I like the texture it adds to the peanut butter interior. Rice Krispies are stirred in, and then you will form them into balls. The balls are dipped into melted chocolate and set on waxed paper until the chocolate hardens. Before it hardens, sneak some decorations on top to set into the chocolate. This is optional, of course, but a little decoration looks nice. Decoration tips are included below.
Decoration ideas:
You can certainly add sprinkles, as shown in the photos. Get festive and use holiday-themed sprinkles or “favorite color” or “team” sprinkles for parties. Put a few miniature M&M’s on top. Sprinkle toasted coconut. Add chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips. There are endless possibilities!
One way I like to serve them is to take a little bit of melted white chocolate and drizzle it on top in a decorative fashion. Just melt the white chocolate and put it in a zip baggie and snip the corner. Then you can hold it in your hand and squeeze it gently to create patterns on top of the balls.
Make-ahead and storage tips:
Make these chocolate peanut butter balls up to three days ahead of serving time. Store them refrigerated in a covered container, and separate layers with waxed paper to keep them looking nice. Don’t try to store them this way until the chocolate is completely set. You don’t want them sticking together.
Remove from the refrigerator when ready to serve. Display on a platter and let them come to room temperature. Enjoy!
Here are a few more peanut butter dessert recipes you might like to try:
- Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
- Peanut Butter Mousse Cups
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Peanut Butter Layer Cake
- Great Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
- 2 cups crunchy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 12 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon shortening
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine the sugar, peanut butter, and butter.
- Stir in the Rice Krispies, and then roll into heaping tablespoon- sized balls.
- Melt the chocolate and shortening together in a glass bowl in short bursts of 30 seconds in the microwave, stirring after each burst- until smooth. (Or set a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt the chocolate and shortening that way). Dip rolled balls into the hot chocolate mixture with a slotted spoon or fork. Gently place on waxed paper to set.
Notes
- *This recipe is gluten-free adaptable: Be sure to use brands of chocolate, peanut butter and Rice Krispies that are known to be GF.
- *These treats are beautiful with melted white chocolate drizzled in a zig-zag pattern on top. It makes them look like truffles!
- *Place in the refrigerator for quick setting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Without the crispy cereal these are called Buckeyes.
Can you make these a day or two in advance? Should you store them in the refrigerator? Thank you!