Originally posted in 2009 on my first-ever blog, this recipe is a childhood favorite taught to me by my mom and made every single year. Reposted in November 2020.
Also known by some as “buckeyes,” Peanut Butter Balls are a Christmas tradition at our house. My countertops were adorned with 300 of these babies over the weekend. That was a triple batch. I’m not sure what possessed me to keep adding the sticks of margarine as I got started, but this is what we ended up with, so I will have fun being generous with these over the next two weeks. The kids each got six in their lunch today. I hope they share with friends!
Peanut Butter Balls are simple, but somewhat time consuming to make. They’re an easy three-step process:
- Mix
- Roll
- Dip
Mix the Peanut Butter Balls
Melt the margarine and combine all of the ingredients, stirring it up well.
Roll them up
The hardest part of this is keeping the balls somewhat uniform in size. Just roll them, line them up on a tray, and then chill. So simple.
Dip them in chocolate
Dipping 101 gives a full tutorial on my favorite chocolate and methods for Dipping Just About Anything in Chocolate.
Possible Questions:
Climate, timing, ingredient measurements, and thorough stirring can all affect the consistency of your mixture. Troubleshoot with these tips:
- Gooey mixture, sticking to palms of hands: Make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined and no rice cereal remains in the bottom of the bowl. Add 1/4 cup cereal to aid in creating the right consistency
- Dry mixture that won’t form into balls: Again, ensure the mixture has been thoroughly stirred. You may want to use nitrile gloves and really work the mixture with your hands. As a last resort, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine and add it, again mixing thoroughly.
- To avoid having a dry or hard mixture, form balls immediately after combining the warm ingredients. Do NOT refrigerate before making the balls.
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 stick margarine
- 1 1/2 c peanut butter
- 2 c powdered sugar
- 3 c Rice Krispies
Instructions
- Melt margarine over low heat in a large saucepan or stock pot
- Stir in peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth
- Remove from heat
- Add cereal and stir until completely coated
- Form into small balls and line up on a tray or baking sheet. Refrigerate until cool, at least half an hour or up to a day.
- Prepare another tray or baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Use a small saucepan and bring 2 c water to a boil in it. Turn heat down so it continues to simmer gently. Place a soup bowl on top of the pan and add 2-3 blocks of bark into the bowl. Melt chocolate almond bark in the bowl over the hot water.
- Dip each ball individually into the chocolate.
- Using a fork, lift each out and gently shake off excess chocolate. Gently place each ball the wax paper and allow to completely dry.
This recipe goes waaaaay back in our family. We made them every Christmas, and once in a while for another occasion, like maybe a tea party! ☕😊
And just today, we were directing another family member to the recipe, weren’t we, Mom?!