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These quick and easy no-bake Peanut Butter Balls are full of crunchy rice krispies and covered in rich dark chocolate! If you’re looking for a sweet and satisfying snack or dessert that only uses a handful of ingredients, this is the recipe for you.
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
Peanut butter and chocolate in a bite-sized treat? Yes, please! These dreamy peanut butter balls will make your taste buds beg for more. Once the smooth layer of chocolate melts in your mouth, you’re left with a soft, creamy and subtly crunchy cluster of peanut butter bliss.
These tasty truffles come together in the blink of an eye with no baking required. You simply mix, microwave and chill. Then it’s time to chow down! And if you’re feeling generous, these yummy little confections are a thoughtful and inexpensive gift idea. It’s easy to decorate them for the holidays and drop them off to friends and relatives!
What Makes This Recipe Work
Your average peanut butter balls (also called buckeyes or buckeye balls) are made up of 3 main ingredients – peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. But we don’t do average here! This version of the classic treat adds irresistible flavor and texture, thanks to the velvety chocolate coating and the crispy cereal bits inside.
Recipe Ingredients
This is the kind of dessert you can throw together on a whim. It uses kitchen must-haves that you don’t need to go looking for!
- Unsalted Butter: Should be at room temperature.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Use Jif or something similar, do not use a natural peanut butter.
- Powdered Sugar: Sift your confectioner’s sugar so that there are no clumps.
- Pure Vanilla Extract:
- Rice Krispie Cereal: To add a subtle crunchiness that takes these truffles over the edge!
- Dark Chocolate Melts: I use Ghirardelli.
How to Make Peanut Butter Balls
I always looked forward to the peanut butter balls most of all when my mom attended cookie exchanges during my childhood. If I had known how easy they are to make, I would have been whipping them up myself!
Make the Peanut Butter Balls
Line Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine Butter & Peanut Butter: Combine the butter and peanut butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl and beat until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps.
Add Sugar & Vanilla: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
Fold in Rice Krispies: Fold in the Rice Krispie cereal.
Scoop Onto Baking Sheet: Use a small cookie scoop to portion the balls of dough onto the baking sheet. This keeps them uniform in size. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use two spoons.
Chill: Refrigerate the peanut butter balls for 30 minutes, or freeze them for 15 minutes.
Form Truffles: Remove them from the fridge and roll them between your hands to form a ball. When you’re ready to start dipping them in the chocolate, pop the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to re-harden the balls.
Make the Chocolate Coating
Melt Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate wafers at 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval and continuing until all of the chocolate is melted. If you have a candy melting pot like you see here, it’s ideal for dipping these.
Coat Truffles: Work in small batches (6 at a time) and keep the remaining peanut butter balls in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready for them. They’re easier to work with when they’re firm. Use a spoon to dip each ball in the chocolate, covering it completely. Then lift the ball out of the chocolate with a fork and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Let Set: Place the balls back on the baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set completely. To add an additional chocolate drizzle, do so after the chocolate coating has set.
Can I Make These In Advance?
You sure can. If you’d like to make the peanut butter balls ahead of time and dip them in the chocolate coating once you’re ready to serve them, be my guest! Simply leave them chilled on the lined baking sheet until you’re ready to shape and coat them.
You can also make them to completion and store them in the fridge or freezer according to the instructions below.
Tips for Success
I’ve got plenty of tips and tricks to help you make these bite-sized treats with ease. Keep these suggestions in mind for your convenience!
- Go For High Quality Melting Chocolate: I have never gotten less-than-perfect results using Ghirardelli’s dark melting wafers. If you’re using chocolate that’s not meant for melting, add in a tablespoon of butter to help it out and be extra careful not to burn the chocolate.
- Use a Melting Pot: I recommend melting your chocolate with a Wilton candy melting pot for the best results. Once melted, it keeps the chocolate at the perfect temperature for dipping!
- Shape Truffles with Food Safe Gloves: Whenever you’re working with peanut butter, it’s going to be sticky. I suggest using food-safe gloves for easy cleanup.
- Chill Shaped Balls Before Dipping: These peanut butter balls should be chilled both before and after they’re rolled to shape. Keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to dip them so they stay firm.
Topping Ideas
Want to add more than a drizzle of chocolate to your peanut butter truffles? There are tons of tasty possibilities! Just remember that unlike a chocolate drizzle, most toppings should be added to the truffles before the chocolate has fully set so that they stick.
- Seasonal Sprinkles
- Sea Salt
- Chopped Peanuts
- Oreo Cookie Crumbs
- Toasted Coconut Flakes
- White Chocolate Drizzle
- Chopped Walnuts
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover peanut butter balls should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them within 1 week.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes! These peanut butter truffles are freezer-friendly. Store them in a freezer-safe container and thaw them out in the fridge for a few hours before enjoying. Don’t let them thaw for too long after freezing them or they may develop condensation. Frozen peanut butter balls will stay good for up to 3 months!
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Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 54
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These quick and easy no-bake Peanut Butter Balls are full of crunchy Rice Krispies and covered in rich dark chocolate! If you’re looking for a sweet and satisfying snack or dessert that only uses a handful of ingredients, this is the recipe for you.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 jar (16oz/454g) creamy peanut butter
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- 15 ounces Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
Make the Peanut Butter Balls
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the butter and peanut butter and beat until completely smooth and free of lumps.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Fold in the Rice Krispie cereal.
- Use a small size cookie scoop and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator and roll the between your hands to form a ball. When you are ready to start dipping, pop the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
Make the Chocolate Coating
- Work in small batches (6 at a time) and keep the remaining peanut butter balls in the refrigerator or freezer until ready.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate wafers at 50% power in 30 second intervals; stir after each interval and continue until the chocolate is melted. Reduce microwave time as needed so the chocolate does not burn.
- Use a spoon to dip the balls in the chocolate, covering it completely. Then lift out of the chocolate with a form and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place bake on the baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set completely.
- To add an additional chocolate drizzle, do so after the chocolate coating has set.
Notes
- Leftover peanut butter balls should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them within 1 week.
- Store them in a freezer-safe container and thaw them out in the fridge for a few hours before enjoying. Don’t let them thaw for too long after freezing them or they may develop condensation. Frozen peanut butter balls will stay good for up to 3 months!
- Be sure to use a peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Do not use all-natural peanut butter as it’s too oily and can separate.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: no bake peanut butter balls, peanut butter balls with rice krispies, buckeye balls
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