Anyone who digs peanut butter will always admit to spooning off the peanut butter jar at least once a day. I know I do. I love the stuff and however much it’s something I should be staying away from, it’s a futile battle once I catch sight of that peanut butter jar. I’m sure to go in for that little scoop.
There’s a better way to get your peanut butter fix without having to bother with a spoon though. However, you may just get  so hooked onto these things, sure enough that peanut butter isn’t going to last that long.
Peanut butter balls are your new nutty best friends. Yep, you get that homemade Reese’s peanut butter goodness in a homemade PB ball. It’s so easy to make and you’re definitely going to make quite a lot of it too!
These yummy treats have the same chocolate covered creamy peanut butter filling it almost feels like you’re eating fudge.
If you’ve ever heard of the term Buckeyes, then you know it’s all about peanut butter bon bon goodness. A buckeye is simply a peanut butter ball except that the top of the bon bon is bare of chocolate coating to let the peanut butter peek through as if it was a like the nut of the Buckeye tree.
For a little bit of trivia, Ohio is home to the Buckeye tree. Peanut butter buckeyes are so popular in this state, that most ball games are never complete without this candy.
Now you can enjoy the same buckeye bonbon goodness with this recipe.
Peanut Butter Bombs
Ingredients:
cups (500 grams) creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 – 2 1/2 cups (230 – 290 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
Chocolate Coating
9 ounces (255 grams) semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (25 grams) shortening
INSTRUCTIONS:
Peanut Butter Balls:Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).
Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.
Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. To serve: place in small fluted candy cups.
Note: If you want to make Buckeyes: place a toothpick into each peanut butter ball and dip, one ball at a time, into the melted chocolate, leaving the top quarter of each ball undipped.
Makes about 40 pieces, depending on size. Preparation time30 minutes.
Photo Credit: you can count on me
Photo Credit: front studio
Photo Credit: l e n a mnop