Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut butter balls are a Christmas holiday recipe in many families. Learning how to make peanut butter balls is one of the most easy recipes you will learn.

Many areas of the Midwestern United States call a similar candy recipe "Buckeyes" because they look just like the nuts on a Buckeye tree. Buckeyes candy treats do not include rice cereal in them, however.

If you would like peanut butter balls candy to be included on your holiday menu tradition, here is an easy recipe for peanut butter balls. This peanut butter balls recipe makes about forty peanut butter candies. Scale up if you are making this candy recipe for the Christmas holiday season or to give as delicious gifts.

2 c. creamy or crunchy peanut butter, your preference (or a mixture of the two)
1/4 c. butter (no margarine please!)
2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. crispy rice cereal
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Tablespoon shortening

Stir the powdered sugar and rice cereal together well in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the peanut butter and butter on low heat in a small pan. Stir constantly. Be careful not to heat too high, or it will become scorched.

Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and sugar in the mixing bowl. Stir until mixed well.

Form small balls from the mixture. Dip your fingers in water being forming balls. This will help keep your fingers from sticking to the candy.

Pierce a toothpick into each piece of candy. (This helps to dip later.) Place on cookie sheets, not touching. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or until firm.

After the peanut butter balls have become firm, it is time to cover them with chocolate.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler or in a microwave. Carefully using the toothpick that is already inserted, lower the candy into the chocolate and coat well.

An alternative method to coat the candy is to place each uncoated peanut butter ball on a tablespoon or teaspoon, depending on the size of the candy. Dip each piece of candy into the melted chocolate. Be sure to coat well.

You may have to reheat the chocolate a few times to keep it the correct consistency for dipping. Arrange the coated peanut butter balls back onto the cookie sheet. Refrigerate again until chocolate firms.

To speed up the process, place the peanut butter balls in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm instead of the refrigerator.

Of course you may use margarine. But the tase will be much better with real butter.

This candy recipe will also turn out better if you used a well-known brand of peanut butter. The national brands really do produce better results.

For a less rich peanut butter balls recipe, use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

For those who don't like chocolate, roll the peanut butter balls in crushed pecans or graham crumbs.

For a different, sophisticated look, instead of dipping the candy into chocolate, drizzle the melted chocolate artfully over each peanut butter ball. Or after dipping in chocolate and it has firmed, drizzle with white chocolate.

If you make this recipe or similar candy recipes often, it is well worth the money to buy an inexpensive dipping spoon made just for this purpose.