Crispy Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls are a traditional Amish Christmas holiday candy made with only four ingredients: peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and Rice Krispies. Shape the peanut butter mixture into balls, and dip them in your favorite chocolate.
These chocolate-covered peanut butter balls with rice krispies are very easy to make and a great addition to any cookie or candy platter.
Of course, you can enjoy these delicious treats at any time of the year. There's no need to wait for Christmas to come around. (Shape them into eggs for Easter or use my peanut butter eggs recipe.)
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How to Make Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
This recipe for no-bake peanut butter chocolate rice crispy treats is similar to peanut butter cups with an added crunchy texture. They are super easy to make.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Prepare the Peanut Butter Mixture:
- In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, melted butter, and powdered sugar. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add Rice Krispies:
- Gently fold in the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until the cereal is evenly distributed throughout the peanut butter mixture.
- Chill the Mixture:
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until it's firm enough to handle. This will make rolling the balls easier.
- Shape into Balls:
- Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, divide the mixture into about 25 portions. Roll each portion into a ball between your hands to form a smooth, round shape.
- Place the balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Firm Up the Balls:
- Chill the balls in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until they are firm and ready for dipping.
- You can also refrigerate them overnight if making ahead.
Chocolate for Dipping
Once your peanut butter balls are well-chilled, coat them in melted chocolate.
Chocolate almond bark, or wafers that are designed for melting, is the best to use for dipping.
I often use semi-sweet chocolate bark or dark chocolate wafers for this recipe. However, if you prefer, you can use milk or white chocolate instead.
If you're going to use chocolate chips, make sure to use a quality brand (affiliate link), and you may need to add a teaspoon of Crisco to help create a smooth texture. (I don't recommend using store-brand chocolate chips, as they don't melt properly.)
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at thirty-second intervals, or use a double boiler to melt it. Never use wet tools with melted chocolate (chocolate will not melt properly if it gets exposed to water).
Dipping Rice Crispy Peanut Butter Balls into Chocolate
If you don't have any dipping tools (affiliate link), you can easily coat the peanut butter balls in chocolate using a fork and toothpick. Simply toss each ball into the chocolate until fully coated.
Use a fork to lift them out of the bowl, and tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Then use another fork or a toothpick to slide them off of the fork onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (While the chocolate is still soft, you can decorate them with Christmas sprinkles.)
Once they're all coated in chocolate, you will want to refrigerate them for about thirty minutes so the chocolate can harden.
If desired, drizzle your old-fashioned peanut butter balls with a different color of chocolate. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or refrigerate.
Chocolate Dipping Troubleshooting
- Chocolate is too thick or not smooth: 1 teaspoon of Crisco thins out the chocolate so it's the best consistency for dipping. If you find your chocolate is still too thick, add a little more Crisco.
- Chocolate is hardening before I'm finished: This is an easy fix! First, make sure you are working quickly. Second, keep the chocolate soft by reheating it in the microwave for 10 seconds or use a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, you could also spoon the chocolate into a glass bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water. This keeps the chocolate slightly warm. Don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl though.
- Peanut butter filling is sticking: If the peanut butter filling is sticking to the dipping tool or fork, it's too cold. Let the peanut butter balls sit for a few minutes at room temperature. The chocolate could also be too hot. Let it sit for a few minutes to slightly cool down, then try again.
Amish Homemade Christmas Candy
For as long as I can remember, my family made homemade chocolates for Christmas.
I have fond memories of spending time at my Amish grandma's house before the Christmas holidays. Every year, we went to her house for a candy-making day. We mixed up several different kinds of candy and dipped everything in melted chocolate.
Amish peanut butter balls, Ritz cracker peanut butter sandwiches, and chocolate pretzels are three kinds of homemade chocolates that we made every single year. And I still make them every year for Christmas along with homemade truffles, homemade caramels, chocolate peanut butter fudge, etc.
Click here to read my post about the Amish Christmas traditions that we had when I was growing up.
I hope you enjoy this Amish recipe for old-fashioned peanut butter balls! If you try them, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Homemade Rice Crispy Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. melted butter
- 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- ½ c. powdered sugar
- 1 c. rice crispy cereal
- 2 c. melted chocolate, for dipping
- sprinkles (if desired) or extra chocolate to drizzle on top
Instructions
- Melt the butter. Add peanut butter and stir until creamy.3 Tbsp. melted butter, 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- Add confectioners sugar and stir to mix.½ c. powdered sugar
- Add Rice Krispies and mix until incorporated.1 c. rice crispy cereal
- Cover and chill for 30 minutes (to make it easier to handle).
- Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, divide the mixture into about 25 balls. Carefully roll between your hands to create balls. Place onto a parchment-lined tray.
- Freeze for about 15 - 20 minutes, or refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
- Melt chocolate (see above for more detailed instructions).2 c. melted chocolate, for dipping
- Dip the chilled peanut butter balls in melted chocolate. Place onto parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Anna
We love these!
Karen Ackerman
Perhaps you addressed this but I did not see it. May I make this recipe as bars (in a square pan) instead of balls? I am afraid I will not do an adequate job making peanut butter balls dipped in melted chocolate. I would appreciate your response and I shall thank you in advance. I really want to make this.
Anna
I suppose you could try it. But I will say, they are probably a bit soft and messy to eat with your hands without the chocolate coating. If I wanted bars, I'd probably find a different recipe. Did you see my Crunch Bars Recipe? It has a thin cake on bottom, then topped with marshmallows and peanut butter, rice krispie, chocolate topping.