Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (No Baking Necessary)
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Guess what? These no-bake chocolate peanut butter balls are so easy to make and with a crunchy and creamy filling, they taste even better than your favorite cups!
Looking for a delicious bite-sized treat when those sweet cravings hit? You need to make a batch of these chocolate peanut butter balls. Why? Well, let’s start with the fact they’re so easy to make. It takes just 15 minutes to prep this recipe and there’s no baking required! All you have to do is set them in the fridge and then they’re ready to eat.
Another reason to try this recipe is that these balls taste exactly like a peanut butter cup. They feature the same sweet chocolate coating that covers the creamy and soft peanut butter filling. My friends to the north often call these Buckeyes as well, so they can go by many names. But one thing is the same, they hit the spot every time.
If you’d like to try some other no-bake sweet treats, check out my no-bake chocolate cookies, no-bake peanut butter bars, and no-bake pumpkin cheesecake.
Recipe Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter
- Softened unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Semi sweet chocolate chips
- Vegetable shortening (For a healthier option, I use refined coconut oil. If you like coconut flavor then use unrefined as this will add a bit of a coconut flavor to your dessert. If you don’t like coconut flavor stick to refined.)
- Note if you decide to use Coconut oil, keep these in the freezer on a hot day til they are ready to be served, otherwise they can get a little soft if they are sitting outside or in a warm kitchen.
How to Make My Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Line a baking sheet and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the creamy peanut butter, softened butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar.
This will make a smooth stiff dough like the image above.
Shape the into balls using approximately 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball.
You can use the scoopy thing in the picture 🙂 or I have also used a soup spoon and formed the balls with my hands to fill about 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottom of the soup spoon.
Place on the parchment lined baking sheet and put them in the refrigerator.
Melt shortening or coconut oil and chocolate chips together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Use your double boiler if you have one.
Stir occasionally until smooth and then remove from the heat.
Remove balls from the refrigerator. Insert a wooden toothpick into each .
Dip into melted chocolate mixture.
Return to wax paper, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
Remove toothpicks and enjoy these easy chocolate peanut butter balls. They are perfect bite-sized treats!
Storage
- These balls will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. But they’re so good I guarantee they won’t last that long!
- Once the chocolate has set, you can also freeze them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Do single layers separated by parchment paper so they don’t freeze together. Thaw them in the fridge before enjoying!
Recipe Notes
- I use coconut oil instead of shortening to avoid the hydrogenated fats in the shortening. If I use refined coconut oil, there is no coconut taste in the peanut butter balls. However, if I use unrefined there is a slightly nutty coconut taste in each ball. If you decide to use coconut oil, keep it in the freezer versus refrigerator before serving or the balls will tend to soften more quickly at room temperature.
- You can use , , or for these balls or a combination if you prefer. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave rather than on the stove.
- I recommend using regular creamy peanut butter rather than natural peanut butter, as it doesn’t have the same consistency.
- If your peanut butter balls are too soft to roll, leave them in the fridge or even the freezer for a further 30 minutes to firm up.
- For a festive or fun touch, after you dip the balls in chocolate, go on and dip them in a bowl of sprinkles.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Yes, you can definitely make your peanut butter dough up to two days in advance. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to melt the chocolate and form the dough into balls.
Other peanut butter recipes you may enjoy:
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Brownies with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vegetable shortening or coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar to form a smooth stiff dough.1.5 cups creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Shape into balls using approximately 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator.
- Melt shortening or coconut oil and chocolate together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. You can use your double boiler if you have one. Stir occasionally until smooth and then remove it from the heat.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 tsp vegetable shortening or coconut oil
- Remove balls from the refrigerator. Insert a wooden toothpick into each and dip them into the melted chocolate. Return to waxed paper, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining balls. Remove toothpicks. Put back in the refrigerator to set for approximately 30 minutes then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
My all time favorite candy!!
Could I use almond butter instead of the pb? Not allergic, just don’t like the combo.
I used to make these every year for my husband and then started putting it in a 13X9 inch pan instead and putting the chocolate on top. It was a LOT quicker. Another variation I sometimes use is the addition of rice krispies to the peanut butter mixture and also adding some butterscotch chips to the melted chocolate on top. Gives it a nice flavor!
That reminds me of a recipe I made for husband 25+ years ago.
It was a No Bake Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bar…. I may have to try this recipe that way. And dig thru my old recipe cards to find the original recipe. I bet it is the same as this.
Thank you for the reminder!!
OK, dumb question. I have a jar of coconut “white and hard but melts beautifully”. Is this coconut oil (label gone)? And how would I know if it is refined? Does it look different?
Thanks
Not sure what you have there but if its coconut oil it will work well. That or shortening will do. It usually smells quite strong and tastes quite coconutty when it is UNrefined. Refined and unrefined typically don’t look different.
Thank you for the recipe for buckeyes. We are almost ready to make them. We also like the spicy ones because of our Spanish friends and that’s with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. God bless you my friends. Have a beautiful weekend.
Yum that sounds good! Thanks for sharing 🙂
So, I have probably attempted Buckeyes on 4 different occasions using different recipes and I can never ever get them to come out right…I’m so sad
I think they need to be put in the freezer before dipping in chocolate? Mine were so soft when taking them out of the fridge that my toothpicks wouldn’t stay in. And 1 cup of chocolate chips wasn’t near enough to cover all of them. I’m so frustrated that I can never get these right…
Hey Becky, Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes. You can do it 🙂
I totally agree with you. These were a flop, too. Like you say, no matter what you do, the toothpicks won’t stay in for dipping. I didn’t think 1 cup of chocolate chips would be enough, so I used 2 and I still had some left with not enough dipping chocolate. If I had used just 1 cup as the recipe said, I wouldn’t have been able to dip a fourth of them. I wish someone would perfect a way to do Buckeyes as I have tried many different recipes, including this new one, and they don’t work.
These buckeyes are so easy to make for a quick treat. I use unrefined coconut oil for extra flavor. Just delicious!
Hi Shelia! So glad you liked the recipe!!