Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- Published
- 43 comments
I make these decadent chocolate peanut butter balls with only 4 ingredients corn flakes, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and chocolate, and they are ready in 15 minutes. This recipe makes 20 little treats, which is great for serving a crowd during the holidays for the ultimate cookie treat.
Two of my favorite flavors combined in one recipe? Sign me in! In my house we absolutely love the mix of peanut butter and chocolate, which is why I created my M&M Cookies Recipe in the first place. Today my little helper, my daughter, will show you in the video below how to make the easiest Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, a sweet treat that has been passed down in my family for generations.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
My family has been making these simple chocolate peanut butter balls for more than 75 years. My grandma Parisi made them every Christmas and passed that tradition to my mom, then to me, and now to my daughter Olivia. It is a sweet piece of our family history that I love sharing.
If you enjoy cooking or baking with your kids, this is one of the easiest and most fun recipes to make together. It only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, so the kids stay entertained the whole time. My little challenge for you is to see if you can stop at just one once you taste them. It is that good!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, I use 4 simple ingredients listed below along with a few easy substitutes I have tested and know work well too.
- Peanut Butter – I use an organic creamy peanut butter. Other nut butters like sunflower, almond, or cashew work well too.
- Corn Flakes – Any brand of corn flakes will work for this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar – Plain powdered sugar or icing sugar works perfectly, and there is no need to sift it.
- Chocolate – I use Merckens coating melting wafers milk chocolate cocoa. The Wilton brand works well too, but regular chocolate chips will not set the same way.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Mix the ingredients: First thing I do is add the crushed corn flakes, peanut butter, and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Then, I use clean hands to mix everything thoroughly until it is well combined.
Form the balls: I scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into little balls until all the batter is used. Then, I set them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate: I add 2 cups of chocolate wafers to a heat safe bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water. I let it temper until it is fully melted.
Finish: I remove the bowl from the heat and mix in the remaining chocolate until it melts smoothly.
Coat the balls: I add one peanut butter ball at a time to the bowl of melted chocolate and coat it completely, using two spoons to help move it around.
Set the coated balls: I remove each coated ball and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. I repeat this process until all the balls have been dipped.
chef tip + notes
As you can see, this recipe is simple and kid friendly, but the key is keeping the chocolate at the right temperature while dipping. If the chocolate gets too hot, it will stay thin and runny, and if it cools too much, it will thicken and make dipping messy. I recommend working in small batches and gently rewarming the chocolate as needed so every peanut butter ball gets a smooth and even coat.
- Enjoy them frozen: I love eating these straight from the freezer since they taste extra crisp and sweet that way.
- Choose any size: Feel free to make the chocolate balls whatever size works for you and your family.
- Use dark chocolate: I sometimes swap the milk chocolate for dark chocolate for a richer flavor.
- Keep water away: I always make sure no water gets into the bowl of melted chocolate or it will seize and become unusable.
- Microwave method: To melt the chocolate in a microwave, add 2/3 of the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir and return to the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Repeat in 30 second bursts until it is completely melted. Finish by stirring in the remaining 1/3 of chocolate until mixed in and melted.
Serving Suggestions
Just like my grandma served these for Christmas, I have been making this recipe for years with my daughter. We usually make two batches, one to enjoy before Christmas with a cortadito coffee or for snacks on the go. My daughter also loves packing them in little gift boxes to share with her friends.
And of course, the second batch is for sharing with guests on Christmas dinner after a comforting roasted turkey. I typically also make a pecan pie that pairs perfectly with the chocolate and peanut butter flavors of these treats.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 3 days ahead of time.
How to Store: You can keep these covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Chill the covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. These will freeze amazingly well covered in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Easy Treat Recipes
Video
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup crushed corn flakes
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 cups melting/dipping chocolate wafers
Instructions
- In a large bowl thoroughly mix the crushed corn flakes, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. You can start by mixing with a spoon, but you will need to get in there and mix with your hands. Feel free to do this part in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.
- Take about 1 tablespoon or a bit more and roll them into balls and set them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Add 2 cups of the chocolate wafers to a heat safe bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water over low heat and temper the chocolate until it is melted, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and mix in the remaining 1 cup of chocolate using a rubber spatula until melted.
- Adding one peanut butter ball at a time to the melted chocolate bowl and completely coat it using two spoons to help move it around and then set aside on a sheet of parchment paper. Repeat the process until all the balls have been dipped.
Question! Can I use chunky peanut butter?
Thank you!
Sure, give it a try.
Olivia is adorable! I would give her ten stars, if I could! She did a perfect job of explaining, and demonstrating, how to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls! I’m passing this recipe on to my almost 3 y.o. great-granddaughter, who also is a red head! She will love getting her hands in the bowl to mix the ingredients. I hope to see more of your daughter! By the way, how old is Olivia?
These are delicious. No you can’t eat just one either. At least not me. i made up a Batch of these at 5 am this morning. I got my son off to work and just got started. I will be making another batch later on today. for a cookie swap coming up this weekend. Their going to love these Peanutbutter Balls. Thanks Chef for this sweet treat that is so easy to make.
Appreicate you giving the recipe a try!
Your daughter is adorable! She did an awesome job with this video! I’m going to to give these a try for ur church cookie sale.
Thanks for giving them a try!
WOW!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this recipe tomorrow with my 2 grandchildren.
Thank you for giving it a shot!