This easy Peanut Butter Balls recipe is a delightful blend of sweet and nutty flavors making these a perfect treat and irresistible dessert!
Peanut Butter Balls are another classic confection that we make every Christmas. They’re a little more work than some of the other things we make, but they’re totally worth the effort.
There’s just something about the peanut butter and chocolate combo, though, right? I’ve never been shy about professing my love for it, and I’m not shy about expressing my love for these things either. They’re just so good. And apparently, Jack has developed the same love because I’m constantly finding him in the kitchen stealing a few. I just wish I had that kid’s metabolism!
What is the difference between a peanut butter ball and a buckeye?
Buckeyes and peanut butter balls are very similar desserts! Both are made with peanut butter, sugar, and butter. Where these two tend to differ is in both their appearance and geographic location.
Buckeyes are basically peanut butter balls until it comes time to coat the ball in chocolate. The buckeye leaves a small bit of peanut butter peeking through the top. This is done intentionally to resemble the nut of the state tree of Ohio – the buckeye. Peanut butter balls are completely covered in chocolate.
Now speaking of Ohio, that leads to the next main difference between buckeyes and peanut butter balls. Ohio ain’t nowhere near these parts, i.e. the South. And, you don’t find many buckeye trees in the South either. Therefore, you will most likely hear about peanut butter balls in the South and buckeyes in the North, specifically the Midwest.
Tips for making the perfect peanut butter balls
Add in some graham crackers – While some folks are peanut butter ball purists and want nothing but peanut butter and powdered sugar in theirs, I like them with some crushed graham crackers mixed in. The graham crackers add a little flavor without covering up the peanut butter and improve the texture by giving the balls a little crunch and cutting through the thick peanut butter, too.
Fully coat the peanut butter balls – I have noticed that when you do not fully coat the peanut butter ball in chocolate, these delicious dessert bites tend to dry out, especially the peanut butter filling. So, be sure you get them good and coated all the way around.
Steer away from the mixer – While I’ve seen some recipes call for you to mix the peanut butter mixture together with a mixer, I find that it often adds too much air into the mixture. That creates a great texture to eat, but the lighter balls are really hard to get coated in chocolate because they’re so soft. I typically just use a thick-handled wooden spoon and then get in there with clean or gloved hands to get everything well combined.
Use almond bark or candy coating – When it comes time to coat these in chocolate, I use almond bark or candy coating, but not the candy coating wafers. Those candy coating wafers just firm up too fast for me. I follow the instructions on the package for melting the chocolate and then coat them with two forks – being sure to tap the excess chocolate off by tapping the fork on the edge of the bowl.
Try out my homemade double boiler method – To make the process a little easier, I make a double boiler of sorts by putting a bowl with the melted chocolate in it inside my slow cooker filled with water set to warm. It helps to keep the chocolate melted as it takes a little while to get the balls coated.
How long are peanut butter balls good for?
How long your peanut butter balls are good for depends on how you store them. You can store your peanut butter balls in the refrigerator or the freezer. Here is a quick rundown of how long your peanut butter balls will last based on where you store them:
- In the refrigerator, peanut butter balls are good for 4-6 weeks when kept in an airtight container.
- In the freezer, peanut butter balls are good for 2-3 months if kept in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
Should peanut butter balls be stored in the fridge?
Technically, because of the butter, they should be refrigerated. Storing them in the fridge keeps them from drying out and extends their shelf life. When kept in an appropriate container, you can keep peanut butter balls fresh in the fridge for about 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 (16 to 24-ounce) packages chocolate almond bark/candy coating
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and salt. (You can use a mixer here, but I prefer a wooden spoon and clean hands. For me, using a mixer makes the texture too light which makes them hard to coat in chocolate without falling apart.)
- Make the balls by rolling about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a tight ball. Place them on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Melt the almond bark according to the package instructions. Use two forks to roll each ball in the chocolate and tap off the excess before placing them on a large sheet of wax or parchment paper. Work in batches, keeping the rest cool in the refrigerator until you're ready to dip. Work until all of the balls are coated.
- Store in an airtight container for a few days or in the fridge for longer.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Dee
Too much powdered sugar. Can’t even taste the peanut butter. Regret making these. Waste
Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like there might have been a mix-up with the ingredient amounts. I always recommend double-checking the recipe to make sure everything’s balanced. Peanut butter should definitely shine through!
Grace Teague
How do you get chocolate coating to have the pretty raised layers in the chocolate coating
I added some melted chocolate to a piping bag and drizzled it over them.
Leila
Stacey,
Do you have any recommendations for how to safely ship these? I want to send them as gifts this year and I have seen all sorts of methods for shipping, but curious if you have any ideas.
Thank you!
Great question! For shipping peanut butter balls, I recommend packing them tightly in an airtight container with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking. To keep them fresh and intact, consider placing the container in a box with plenty of cushioning, like bubble wrap or crumpled paper, so they don’t move around during transit. If you’re shipping to a warmer area, you might also add a reusable ice pack to keep them cool. Your lucky recipients are going to love them!
Leila
Thank you so much for the tips! I know my family will love them, I tried a few & they are incredible! Can’t wait to make these again for myself 🙂
You’re so welcome!
Deana
Have you ever tried coating them with the white almond bark or white chocolate?
Yep! I like the traditional chocolate and peanut butter combo, but these are still super delicious with white chocolate and white almond bark. Enjoy!
Pam Lagrone
Ready to make these and I only have the almond bark. Could I add some chocolate morsels with it to have a chocolate flavor.
When you say almond bark, are you meaning white almond bark or chocolate almond bark?
wilma cloud
easy to make. an love them they are really good
Thanks, Wilma!
Jackie
I might have missed it, but how many peanut butter balls does this recipe yield?
This recipe makes about 60 peanut butter balls.
Rita Hayes
Hi, can you use chunky peanut butter with peanuts?
Sure! Enjoy!
VJB
I can’t eat PB. Do you think almond butter can be substituted for a similar-in-taste candy?
The flavor will be different, but it should work. Just keep in mind that many almond butters have a more liquidly consistency and it may require some additional powdered sugar to get the dough thick enough to roll into balls.
VJB
Thanks for your tips, I really appreciate it! These look wonderful – can’t wait to try.
Hope you enjoy them!
Dana Wilson
We make these at Christmas and use Rice krispies instead of Graham crackers. Give such a good texture. Try it, you’ll like it. :0-)
Thanks, Dana!
Diane S
Stacey, these sound delicious! Years ago my sister and I made them with Rice Krispies for the crunch. I’ll have to try with graham cracker crumbs! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas!
Cyndel
These sound terrific! How did you get the drizzle lines that give them such a pro candy shop finish?
Thanks! I simply put some excess candy coating chocolate in a piping bag (you could also use a zip-top bag),just snipped the very corner off, and drizzled it over each one.
MAXIE MOATES
CAN YOU USE THE SEMI SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN THE PACKAGE IN THE BAKING DEPARTMENT OF THE GROCERY STORE?? CAN YOU USE RICE CRISPIES , INSTEAD OF GRAHAM CRACKERS?
You can use chocolate chip, but you’ll need to add some paraffin wax to help it harden. I’ve not used rice crispies in this recipe, but I can’t imagine they wouldn’t work.
Josette Kool
These sound great! Can you please send me some? I am too old to cook this just for me! Would love to try them. You might want to consider a shipping service for your food.
Thanks
Josette Kool
I am more than willing to pay for shipping and the delectable recipes.
Linz
Hi Stacey…..Do you think these peanut butter balls could be made with a one to one sugar substitute ?
I don’t have much experience with sugar substitutes, but if it’s a powdered sugar alternative, not just sugar alternative, it might work.
Carletta
I’m assuming the butter is melted? You don’t say in the directions m
Actually, you’ll want the butter to be room temp – just soft enough for it to mix in well.
Donna Pearson
Why not the wafers for coating?
The wafers firm up very quickly so you really have to have very quick, skillful hand when using them.
Joan in VA
Those look good and easy to do. I’ll have to add them to my list. Today is candy day here.
Sounds like a fun day! Hope you enjoy!