These Peanut Butter Balls are a riff on buckeyes, with a creamy peanut butter center coated in a dark chocolate shell.

If you like peanut butter cups, you’ll love these Peanut Butter Balls too.

Peanut Butter Balls - Stacked on a White Plate with Filling Shown

These focus a lot more on the actual peanut butter filling, with just a thin coating of chocolate on the outside.

It’s a more creamy and peanut butter-centric experience.

You may think that these peanut butter balls are similar to buckeyes, and they are, but with some proportion changes.

I like buckeyes, but I’ve always found them to be a bit too sweet and fairly gritty in texture, because of all the cornstarch in the confectioner’s sugar.

These have much less confectioner’s sugar in them, which makes them a little trickier to work with, but only requires a little fridge time to firm the butter and peanut butter.

It’s worth it to have a peanut butter bite that’s not overly sweet, and also creamier in texture.

How to Make Peanut Butter Balls:

In a bowl, combine room temperature creamy peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and butter:

Peanut Butter, Butter, and Confectioner\'s Sugar in Bowl

Whip that together until you get a very fluffy mixture, that almost looks like peanut butter frosting:

Whipped Peanut Butter Filling in Bowl

Use a cookie scoop to portion out the peanut butter ball filling:

Scooping Peanut Butter Filling for Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

And dollop them directly onto a wax paper (or parchment paper) lined plate.

Peanut Butter Balls on a Piece of Wax paper

Because all of the ingredients are warm, they will be too loose to roll right now.

Refrigerate the peanut butter balls until they are firm enough to roll into a smoother shape:

No bake Peanut Butter balls on Wax Paper

Chill them further, then it’s time to coat them in chocolate.

I find the easiest way to do this is to place them on a sheet pan and spoon the chocolate over, letting the excess drip off:

Chocolate Peanut Butter balls - on a Wire Rack

You can retrieve the dripped chocolate below and use it again to pour, you just may need to pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to melt again.

Place the peanut butter balls into the fridge or freezer until the chocolate sets.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - Served on Gray Dish with One with bite Taken to Show Filling

These Peanut Butter Bon Bons are very similar to this recipe, but use crispy rice cereal, if you want to try a different texture.

Can Peanut Butter Balls be Frozen? Yes, they freeze well for up to 2 months.

How to Store Peanut Butter Balls: I recommend keeping them in the fridge. They have butter in them, which should be refrigerated, plus they will soften too much at room temperature.

More Peanut Butter Desserts:

Peanut Butter Balls Stacked on a White Plate with Filling Shown

Peanut Butter Balls

Servings: 24
Prep Time: 15 mins
Chill time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
These Peanut Butter Balls are a riff on buckeyes, with a creamy peanut butter center coated in a dark chocolate shell.
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup peanut butter (I recommend creamy)
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar (4 ounces by weight)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup butter* softened
  • 4 ounces dark chocolate** chopped
  • 1/2 tsp oil (olive, coconut, avocado, etc)

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whip together the peanut butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and butter. It will be light and fluffy, like frosting.
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion out the mixture onto a wax paper or parchment lined tray. The mixture will be very soft right now.
  • Chill in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes, until cold enough to roll into a more spherical shape, then place back into the refrigerator or freezer for another 30 minutes, to chill completely. 
  • Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, then stir in the oil to thin the chocolate slightly.
  • Place the peanut butter balls on a metal rack, and pour the melted chocolate over them, scooping up the fallen chocolate as needed to recoat. Because the peanut butter balls are cold, you'll notice that they will harden up the chocolate fairly quickly.
  • Chill the chocolate peanut butter balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, to completely set the chocolate shell, then enjoy!
  • Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

*Salted is better here, but if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to taste (start with 1/8 tsp).
**Use a melting chocolate that you enjoy. I like Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate 60% disks.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 54mg, Potassium: 86mg, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 60IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug

Post updated in November 2018. Originally published May 2011.