No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
No bake peanut butter balls are THE cornerstone of my family’s annual holiday gatherings (we get together A LOT). These are my favorite cookies, and have been since I was a small child. Every year we make these, and every year they are gone within hours! The recipe that we have used in my family is a lot different than most recipes out there. The traditional recipe uses cow’s milk and butter. But ya’ll know how I roll, so I have veganized these babies! They are naturally gluten-free, so I didn’t have to alter the recipe for that. The addition of plant-based milk and butter to the recipe produces a cookie that is richer and creamier in the center. No bake peanut butter balls also freeze really well, in case you want to make them in advance and can resist the temptation to eat them! These cookies are super easy to make, and I am sure you are going to love them just as much as my family has all of these years!
Peanut butter and chocolate balls (or rather, chocolate peanut butter balls) are one of the easiest cookies to make. You simply mix the confectioner’s sugar, butter, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter together. Form the mixture into 3/4 sized balls and place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet into the refrigerator, or until firm. Melt chocolate and shortening in the microwave, and then dip each ball to coat. Cover with sprinkles if desired. Then pop the balls back into the refrigerator to harden. The complete recipe can be found below!
In the refrigerator, they will last two weeks. In the freezer, they will last three months. However, these chocolate covered peanut butter balls will likely not make it past two or three days!
If you are not into chocolate, you can simply not coat the peanut butter balls. To be honest, I have made many batches of these and just eaten the balls as is, without the chocolate, and they still taste phenomenal. There is also the option of adding in mini chocolate chips into the peanut butter mixture, forming the balls, and then not coating them as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. In a medium sized bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract with your hands until blended.
Step 2. Mix in peanut butter with your hands.
Step 3. Form mixture into 3/4″ balls and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until firm.
Step 4. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small glass cup in the microwave according to package directions. For the chocolate chips I was using, this was 45s. I did this in 3 15s increments, checking on the chocolate chips after each 15s. After 45s, the chips and shortening were just starting to melt. After a several stirs, I ended up with a nice melted chocolate. It’s important to note here, that both the glass cup and the spoon need to be perfectly dry. If any water makes it into the chocolate, it will seize (hardens) and you won’t be able to use it. The chocolate can also seize if you heat it too much.
Step 5. Remove balls from refrigerator. Spear balls with a toothpick, and dip into melted chocolate. Lift out and let excess chocolate drip off. Return balls to lined baking sheet. Before chocolate sets, top with sprinkles if desired. A few notes on this step. I found it easiest to spear the peanut butter ball and then hold it in the air while I used the spoon to drizzle and smooth out the chocolate over the ball (the photo below is an inaccurate representation of what I was doing, because I needed to take a photo and I only have two hands :)). I also coated only 2-3 balls at a time, so that I could decorate them before the chocolate hardened. The sprinkles I used are a combination of Walmart brand, Harry & David, and Wilton.
Step 6. After balls are coated, return balls to refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for 3 months.
More Recipes Like This
- Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chewy Molasses Cookies {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
- Gluten-Free Ricotta Cookies {Gluten-Free}
- M&M Cookies
- Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
Pair With:
- Vegan Hot Cocoa {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
- Homemade Oat Milk {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
- Golden Milk Latte {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Balls
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter of your choice, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk of your choice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Chocolate Coating
- 1 cup chocolate chips of your choice
- 1 tablespoon shortening
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar, butter, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract with your hands until blended.
- Mix in peanut butter with your hands.
- Form mixture into 3/4″ balls and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until firm.
- Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small glass cup in the microwave according to package directions.
- Remove balls from refrigerator. Spear balls with a toothpick, and dip into melted chocolate. Lift out and let excess chocolate drip off. Return balls to lined baking sheet. Before chocolate sets, top with sprinkles if desired.
- After balls are coated, return balls to refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
ARE YOU MAKING THIS RECIPE OR OTHERS? Share your creations with me by posting a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, share it on Twitter, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #thepanickedfoodie.
I love how simple this recipe is! You can cook your meal while making dessert without having to multitask.
What a great looking dessert. It seems like it is simple to make as well. Thanks for sharing.
They look delicious. Maybe when I get time, I will try these. Hope they come out well. 😊
I’ve always envy those who can cook and bake, since I’m really bad at cooking and baking. But with this simple recipe, I think I’ll be able to try this on my own. LOLZ
These are one of my favorite treats. They look so easy to make, and these are cute, too. So fun!
I can do this. I mean, I made my first date loaf cake for Christmas so yeah. I can do this lol. I’ve always neeb wary of anything requiring flour and an oven but this is another year of going beyond my comfort zone.
These look so festive! I’m a wary chef at best, but these might even be doable for me!
Two of my favorite, chocolate and peanut butter. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
A combination of my two all-time favourites… chocolate and peanut butter. I must make these soon.
What we love the most about them is that we can customize them! Loved the idea! Tysm