This Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls recipe is my favorite candy for the Holidays and so incredibly Easy to make! These are like little Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, but in ball form.
I’m pretty much a peanut butter fanatic and love making desserts using peanut butter including out Reese’s Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Cups, No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. If you love peanut butter like I do, you definitely want to check these out.
How To Make Peanut Butter Balls
These are a must for our Holiday cookie plates and the most requested. They are so simple to make and the kids can make these all by themselves. They might need a little bit of help on the dipping part, or things could get a bit messy.
Ingredients you will need…
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Butter
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- (optional) Vegetable Shortening or Coconut Oil
First, you make the peanut butter dough…
Then you form the dough into balls…
Next, you dip the balls into the melted chocolate…
Now the dangerous part. Try…just try to eat one. It’s incredibly difficult because these are melt in your mouth delicious!
Add Christmas sprinkles on top of the peanut butter balls for a festive Holiday look. It’s become a family tradition to make these for holidays and parties. These are are so great because it’s a quick and easy no-bake treat when your making a gazillion other goodies. It’s a guaranteed winner for the Christmas cookie tray.
Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Balls?
Yes! These will freeze perfectly. Make sure the balls are completely set (hardened back up) and line them in a tupperware container. Add a piece of wax or parchment paper on top and repeat until full. Seal the top.
How long do They last?
You can store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
You can also drizzle extra melted chocolate on top for a different look.
Peanut Butter Ball Tips:
- You can use any nut butters for this recipe. Almond butter, cashew butter, etc…
- Make sure the balls are chilled before dipping.
- We love these Chocolate Dipping Tools, but you can always use a fork for dipping. A toothpick will also work. Expect a bit of a mess, but it will work.
- You can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30- second increments, or over a double boiler.
- You can use chunky peanut butter instead of creamy if you prefer. We also like to add in Rice Krispies sometimes for some texture.
- Add any type of holiday sprinkles, chopped peanuts, sea salt or whatever you prefer. It’s all good!
4-ingredient Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp salted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening or coconut oil optional
Instructions
- Mix the peanut butter and softened butter together in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until fully combined. Cover and place in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up.
- Using your hands, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (this will hold it's shape for dipping).
- Melt the chocolate chips according to package instructions.
- Using a fork, dip the peanut butter balls one at a time into the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to fall off. Place the chocolate balls onto wax paper, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Last Step:
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Once you try this recipe for chocolate covered peanut butter balls, it will be your go to recipe! It’s SO GOOD!
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265 comments on “4-ingredient Peanut Butter Balls”
Are incredibly delicious. Thank you!
We make sure the peanut butter mixture is dry enough to roll into balls, then freeze them. Two or three of us roll balls, one or two place round toothpicks in them, two shave wax, one melts chocolate chips. We use several jelly roll pans lined with wax paper. It’s like a production line. Everyone loves them gets to take some home. We make the balls rather small so you can pop one in your mouth. As soon as the chocolate/wax hardens, they are packaged and ready for the freezer.Â
I add graham cracker crumbs to mine. Very close to Reeses peanut butter cups.
I add crushed Rice Krispies to my recipe. These have been our recipe favorite for years!!
Would love to get some of your recipes. Want to try the peanut butter balls for my son.
looks yummy easy recipie
If you would like this to look better try making candy buckeyes. We in the buckeye state have been making these forever. Go bucks!
I also make Coconut and chocolate balls just use coconut and or coco in place of peanut butter, and adjust the recipe accordingly. Dip the chocolate balls in white choc or what ever of your choice. The chocolate will need more butter than the others. I dont use butter in the peanut butter recipe.
Hi if I don’t use peanut butter as I would like different flavours , what would I use instead .  Years ago my mom made chocolates at Christmas but some were mint, chocolate, orange, strawberry , vanilla, lemon and so on.  We ate them frozen lol straight out of freezer!Â
My mom made the same thing and they were wonderful! I don’t know if there would be an ingredient to replace the peanut butter…maybe just the butter and powdered sugar with food coloring and extract for flavor???Â
Yummy Recipe
I also add about one quarter cup of very fine crumbled graham cracker crumbs to hold them together better.
What is the yield on this recipe?
Sorry, meant to say my recipe makes around 100 small balls. Â I also add the paraffin wax to the chocolate. It makes them shiny!!
If you use a toothpick and only dip them most of the way, leaving a small circle of peanut butter showing, they look like buckeyes!  I’ve been making these for years.  I also add paraffin wax to the melted chocolate to keep the chocolate from melting in your fingers.
This sounds good and looks easy to make I’ll try it
i like the recipes so easy and fast
If adding rice cereal, how much?
These are called Buckeyes, not peanut butter balls.
In Ohio maybe
Buckeyes have exposed peanut butter at the top, know it all. I was born and raised in Ohio. Google what a real buckeye looks like, then Google chocolate & peanut butter buckeyes and you’ll see the resemblance. Then go back and look at this recipe photo…PEANUT BUTTER BALLS.  Not the same. Similar, but different.
I just wanted to ask for your recipes thank you.
Delicious
I use a recipe for these my BFF gave me over 30 years ago. I add a block & a half of of parafin wax melted with the chocolate. Also use tooth picks in them to dip. No messy fingers lol
You have to add a little bit of paraffin wax to chocolate chips to make sure it sticks and hardens to peanut butter balls. And I dip mine using tooth pucks or wooden skewers.Â
Actually, adding parafin only keeps it shiny. Doesn’t help it adhere or harden.
Actually the parafin wax does help the chocolate become more hard.
If you use Chocolate Almond Bark their is no need to use paraffin wax. It’s easier to dip them if you freeze them for a couple of hours or even over night. They won’t fall apart when dipped in the hot melted chocolate & the chocolate sets immediately.