Peanut Butter Balls

This is a recipe you often see at Christmas time, but I make an amendment this be an all year round treat :) Peanut butter balls are sweet and savory morsels of awesomeness! You maybe able to tell that I love chocolate and peanut butter by this point.

When searching for recipe variations online I noticed that most called for some portion of butter to be added to the recipe, I recommend not using dairy butter; simply using Peter Pan creamy peanut butter adds enough moisture. We opt not to use butter because the fat separates from the mixture and seeps out of any holes or sealed weak spots in the chocolate coating. Our family recipe is super simple and delicious.

 

Simple Peanut Butter Balls

Makes Approximatley 150+

There is not an exact recipe for our treats, but we start out with:

1 Jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter (28 oz. jar)

2 Pounds of Powdered Sugar (1 Bag or 2 Boxes)

2 Containers of Chocolate Candy Coating or Almond Bark

1/2 Bag White Chocolate Chips (Optional)

 

1. Empty the entire jar of peanut butter into a large glass bowl, the heavy weight of the bowl helps it stay in place when mixing ingredients. Begin melting chocolate in double boiler.

2. Start with three cups of powdered sugar, incorporate into the peanut butter. Gradually add one cup of peanut butter until the dough is no longer sticky and has a firm texture. You will have to mix with your hands near the end of the process, when adding more sugar simple knead it in by hand.

3. Roll mix into tablespoon sized balls, place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet. Place the full tray into the freezer until firm, approximately 15 minutes.

4. Remove a small portion of the frozen peanut butter spheres from the freezer, dip into melted chocolate, and place on wax paper to set up. Do not remove all the spheres at once because they may become too soft to dip into melted chocolate.

5. When all spheres have been dipped into chocolate and hardened you can decorate them with melted white chocolate. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, set microwave to 50% power for 1 minute at a time and mix each time. Pour melted chocolate into resealable baggie and cut a very small portion of one corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over peanut butter balls for a decorative touch.

 

 

 

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups



You see the commercial about how chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect pair: they're right! Chocolate adds a sweetness that nearly no one can turn down while peanut butter adds a toasty salty note, YUM! These cups make great Christmas gifts when bagged in cellophane bags and tied off with pretty ribbon.

 

Peanut Butter Cups

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (Peter Pan: Creamy)

1 Stick Butter, Melted

1 1/2 Bars Chocolate Almond Bark

Candy, Sprinkles, or Edible Glitter (Optional)

 

Instructions:

1. Fill a double boiler with water until it reaches the bottom of the insert pot. If you don't have a double boiler set a glass bowl on top of a pot with boiling water barely reaching the bowl to prevent pressure from pushing the bowl up. Set the heat to high until it reaches a boil, reduce to low and allow to simmer.

2. Mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, and melted butter. Mix until combined adding powdered sugar if the mix is much too sticky, light stickiness is okay. Set bowl into fridge for a few minutes until it is completely chilled.

3. Using a mini muffin pan pour about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each cup. Lightly shake pan to even out the chocolate, filling in spaces with extra chocolate. Allow chocolate to set up and harden.

4. Remove chilled peanut butter mixture from fridge. Roll teaspoon sized balls out with palms and place onto a baking sheet. When all the mix is rolled out place the baking sheet into the fridge to re harden, this prevents the butter from melting completely when the hot chocolate is poured over.

5. Place re-hardened peanut butter ball onto chocolate in the muffin pans. Cover with chocolate until completely covered and level. Gently shift the pan back and forth to level the chocolate topping.

6. Optional- sprinkle small candies or sprinkles on to the melted tops of the cups.

7. Insert finished muffin pans into fridge to set the chocolate quickly.

8. When cups are completely hardened invert pan onto a counter top lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If a portion is exposed use a toothpick dipped into chocolate and dab chocolate to reseal. 

YUMMY!!!

 

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Barn Hop #91

 Farm Girl Friday

Clever Chicks Barn Hop #12

“I am entering this Homemade Peanut Butter Cups in the Creative Holiday Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!“