Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies

🥜 Ingredient Notes

• Crisped rice cereal - Use your favorite brand of crispy rice cereal. If you have cereal left over, don't miss my m&m rice krispie treats!
• Crunchy (all-natural) peanut butter - Using crunchy peanut butter provides extra texture, but you could also use creamy peanut butter.
• Maple syrup - Provides just a touch of sweetness if you use unsweetened peanut butter. Out of maple syrup? Try one of my recommended maple syrup substitutes.
• Dark chocolate chips - I love dark chocolate, especially paired with peanut butter. But you could use semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe, or your favorite brand of dark chocolate.

🍫 Variations & Substitutions

• Graham crackers: Substitute ½ of rice cereal with graham cracker crumbs for a sweeter molasses flavor.
• Brown rice cakes: Make your crispy peanut butter balls even healthier by substituting 3 crushed rice cakes.
• Coconut: Add ¼ cup of sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes for a more complex flavor for your peanut butter chocolate balls.
• Milk or white chocolate: Dip in milk or white chocolate, or dip twice using two different kinds of chocolate.
• Plain: Leave un-dipped to make plain peanut butter balls.
• Make buckeyes: Dip only partially in chocolate to make buckeye balls with rice krispies.
• Make vegan/dairy-free peanut butter balls: Use a vegan brand of dark chocolate to keep them dairy-free/vegan. I really like Guittard's 72% chocolate chips.
• Make sugar-free: Use sugar-free chocolate for dipping.

🥄 How To Make Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies

*For printable instructions, see recipe card below

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place rice cereal, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup in medium-sized bowl and mix thoroughly using a rubber spatula.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop peanut butter mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place peanut butter balls in refrigerator to firm up for at least 15 minutes while you prepare your chocolate.

Melt chocolate: Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl and microwave for 30 seconds on high. Give it a good stir. Repeat and stir again. The chocolate should be almost melted at this point.

Be very careful not to overheat the chocolate chips. The chocolate should feel neutral in temperature. Stir for several minutes to ensure chocolate is completely melted but also not too warm. If it feels too warm, continue to stir. The chocolate mixture will thicken as it cools.

Dip in chocolate: Using a fork, dip balls into chocolate. Lightly tap fork against side of bowl to get rid of any excess chocolate. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets until chocolate is completely set. This usually takes several minutes. (You can also place baking sheet in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to help set the chocolate).

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• How to freeze: Place in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for one hour.
• Refrigerating your peanut butter balls for at least 15 minutes before dipping in chocolate will help the chocolate set up, so don't skip this step.
• Melty chocolate. If your melted chocolate starts to thicken up after dipping several balls, stick back in the microwave for 15 seconds.
• Make in advance: Assemble peanut butter ball mixture and store (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When you're ready to make your pb balls, scoop onto prepared baking sheet and dip in chocolate.
• Use unsweetened peanut butter. Be sure to omit the maple syrup if you use sweetened peanut butter.
• How to serve peanut butter balls: Add them to your holiday cookie platter, along with chocolate chip coconut macaroons, old fashioned ginger snap cookies, and gluten free thumbprint cookies. Alternatively, place them in a cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon to give as a gift, or add to a gift tin.
• If mixture is crumbly and not sticking together when rolling into balls, add more peanut butter (1 tablespoon at a time) until a sticky consistency is reached.

🥥 Topping Suggestions

Take your chocolate peanut butter balls to the next level by adding a fun topping after dipping them in chocolate. Here are some suggestions:

• Crushed peanuts
• Holiday sprinkles
• Flaked coconut
• Peanut butter chips

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

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