Friends, I come to you today with news you can use. Christmas is basically tomorrow and that’s an absolute brain bender seeing as yesterday was April. BUT, here we are upon Christmas. I’ll tell ya – the best thing about this time of year at the Wilson house is Mom’s Famous Peanut Butter Balls. I use the word “famous” rather liberally but if you know my mom you have probably enjoyed her peanut butter balls several times over the last five decades.
Peanut Butter Balls are also called Buckeyes in Ohio because they resemble the Buckeye tree. We’re born and raised Californians and have lived without Buckeye trees our whole lives, so we call them peanut butter balls instead. My mom’s recipe has been kicking around our clan since well before our clan existed as she inherited the recipe from an ex-boyfriend’s mom. Bless it all.
When my sisters and I were living at home, we’d have a casual PBB factory. Picture that episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy and Ethel take jobs in a candy factory. You remember how much candy they shoved in their face? Most of it, if we’re being honest.
These days my mom and dad handle most of the PBB production and each ball is portioned out as gifts with tender care. My aunt and uncle have empty holiday tins they bring to the house and shake like paupers hoping for a refill. It’s a whole thing.
Here you are, friends – our family holiday balls for your sharing and caring.
And if you’re really into a grand chocolate peanut butter moment, see: Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake or Peanut Butter Cup Christmas Cookies.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Peanut Butter Balls:
• creamy peanut butter – I like to use a Skippy or Jiff peanut butter (the sort with added oil) for these balls. Of course you can use natural peanut butter if you prefer!
• softened unsalted butter. Malleable enough to massage and mash.
• plenty of powdered sugar.
• vanilla extract and kosher salt.
• semi-sweet chocolate and coconut oil. The coconut oil will help the chocolate harden to a shell on the outside of the ball. But, long before we knew about coconut oil my mom used edible parrafin wax to make a chocolate shell. No lie.
Let’s get started! Mix together the softened butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until it forms a still dough.
I use a wooden spoon to start to incorporate the mixture but always end up washing my hands and massaging the dough to cohesive with food safe gloved hands. You can also use a stand mixer and paddle attachment!
While the peanut butter mixture is at room temperature, shape into round balls. I measure beach ball to a heaping tablespoon then roll between my palms to a tight and smooth ball. Refrigerate the balls for at least an hour to make them more sturdy to handle for the dipping.
With the balls rolled, melt chocolate and coconut oil over a double boiler.
A double boiler is a heatproof bowl set atop a pot with a few inches of simmering water. The steam from the water heats the bowl and gently melts the chocolate and coconut oil without it seizing. The double boiler will also keep the chocolate warm and you dip and dip and dip.
Dip each ball halfway or fully submerged and allow to rest on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Wax paper also works in place of parchment. Place the tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so to set the balls and store in a large bowl or right on the tray loosely covered.
Set aside at least three of these peanut butter truffles for yourself. Store in an airtight container before gifting. We store them in the freezer with success. They’re sweet little treats and well earned if you made it this far into the year.
More holiday cookie bakes for you soon! Happy Baking!
And here’s My Top 10 Peanut Butter Recipes to keep you on the peanut butter kick!
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Mom’s Famous Peanut Butter Balls
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: about 3 dozen balls 1x
- Category: dessert, holiday
Description
Seven ingredients to heaven.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (I used not the all-natural peanut butter)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups powdered sugar (This is the amount of sugar my mom uses but truly you could use less – I’ve used 4 cups with success.)
- 18 ounces dark chocolate chunks (about 1 1/2 bags chocolate chips)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine peanut butter, butter, vanilla, salt, and half of the powdered sugar. You can also do this by hand with a wooden spoon and clean hands.
- Blend on low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the remaining powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined. The mixture will be very thick, but not dry. The powdered sugar should incorporate easily.
- Remove the bowl from the stand and use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough and roll peanut butter balls between your hands to make a tight, round ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- In a heatproof bowl combine chocolate chunks and coconut oil. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water and let sit until chocolate begins to melt. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and reduce heat so the water is just at a low simmer.
- Remove the balls from the refrigerator and using your fingers, dip half of each ball into the melted chocolate, and return to the parchment lined sheet. Repeat until all balls are dipped and place in the refrigerator to chill and harden the chocolate.
- Keep peanut butter balls covered and stored in the refrigerator, or pack them in holiday tins and stored in the refrigerator for gifting. Peanut butter balls last up to 2 weeks if not longer covered well and cool.
Photos with Jon Melendez.
Michellehenry
The perfect treat coming to you directly from Grandmas kitchen. My mom’s famous peanut butter balls are so delicious and chewy that they’re hard to stop at just one. They’re a must make recipe!
★★★★★
Ash
I love you Joy, and your recipes are usually top notch (I’ve made a ton of them!), but these were a disappointment. I followed the instructions to the letter and made these for my husband’s coworkers as part of a huge cookie platter. My husband and I both tried one and we felt they were cloyingly sweet, with the overarching flavor being powdered sugar, and not PB + chocolate. It’s the only one of your recipes I’ve made and haven’t been over the moon about. ?????
★★
samantha campanini
They look perfect!!
Leslie Hunt
I love how the recipe says to store in the refridge and will last up to 2 weeks….yeah, right !! They won’t last 24 hours in this house.
Debby Stanuch
This is similar to a recipe that’s been in our family for at least 3 generations. Our recipe ads rice crispy cereal to the butter/peanut butter/powdered sugar mixture. It also uses paraffin.
Andrea
Any chance of getting this with the weights listed? Looking forward to making these. I had a friend that made these growing up, she did the full dip in chocolate and they were always peanut butter bon bons. She and her MIL would jokingly argue about whether the correct name was bon bons or balls. My family in Ohio always did the 3/4 which is what makes them a Buckeye IMO. No matter what you call them or the PB to Chocolate ratio, they are delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
OLady
These are indeed Buckeyes!!!! OH
Sandi
How do you dip them to get them 3/4’s covered?
Linda Medin
Very tasty. I had way too much chocolate. No photo from me because mine were not so neat.
Susan O
I don’t have any coconut oil any good substitution? I’ve use the paraffin wax as well but I don’t have that either lol
joythebaker
Do you have vegetable shortening? That will work!
Melissa Partin
Love up buckeyes
★★★★★
Lynnette
1 tablespoon Crisco melted with your chips works perfect.
Tammy
I’ve made peanut butter balls for years, same recipe my mom made and my grandmother before her. My son grew up with these at the holidays. He walked in to my kitchen a few years ago (well into his 30’s) while I was adding the paraffin wax in the chocolate and was stunned!
MOTHER! What are you doing!?!? I’m making pbb’s. YOU put WAX in them? You are feeding me and my children WAX!
Settle down and get out of my kitchen, you’ve been eating these since you could put solid food in your mouth and they haven’t killed you yet, I think you and your children’s innards will be fine.
He still eats them by the bucket full but must tease me about the wax.
LOVE your recipe Joy, no matter where your from or what they are called from your area – they are a delicious treat!
★★★★★
Cait
Native Pennsylvanian here and they were always PBB in my house. And were always my favorite at Christmas.
Kelley forbes
My family always called them Peanut Butter Balls, but that’s probably because we are from Texas and wouldn’t know a buckeye if it hit us upside the head! Lol! My Meemee always added Rice Krispies….so good!! Thank you, Joy, for answering negativity with a smile & an appropriately worded response ???
Kelley
Lol, the app replaced my smiley face emojis with question marks! It was definitely not a question!
Jodi
My husband has been making “peanut butter balls” since the first grade with PB, Sweetened Condensed milk and pwd sugar, then pouring melted chocolate over the top. I make “buckeye balls” but they are the graham cracker added version others have been mentioning. Options are good ??
Kathy Busby
Hey Jodi, please share your recipe that has sweetened condensed milk! I’d love to try it also! My email is kathybuzz88@gmail.com
Or u can text 205-800-9941… I’m afraid I may miss the reply here . Thank you so much! Have a blessed holiday season!!
JoAnn
These are a long time treat my grandmother used to make. I’ve been using a recipe that uses crisp rice cereal in the peanut butter mixture. My family prefers the crisp rice recipe but I love them both!
★★★★
Shay
I am astounded by the negativity thrown your way by some people based off what you called a sweet treat, but I digress. I have never made cookie boxes and doing my first batch this year. I’ve added this to my list of recipes. I can’t wait to share the peanut butter balls/buckeyes/peanut butter sweet treats with family. Thank you!!!!
Michelle Maurizi
Easy cookie recipe! I love it!
★★★★★
Laura Lee
I make something very similar, but i use crushed up very fine graham crackers in the peanut butter mixture, then i use 4 different types of chocolate melted in a ceramic dish, i keep warm in the oven. I fond a simple dinner fork works great for dipping
, just place ball on fork dip or drop in chocolate mixture roll it around till its covered and drag fork across the top lip of dish and let it drip off a bit then place them to dry.. i call mine peanut butter bon bons. The recipe cam e from a christmas recipie book. Ive been making these for 40 years now. I can never ever make enough.
Cyndi Brown
My recipe uses graham crackers crushed Extra crunchy peanut butter box of butter then one large Hershey bar package of semisweet chocolate chips and a quarter piece of wax may try coconut oil
Laura M Lake
I have made these with nut free Wow butter ( available on amzn) and they came out great.