Heavenly Peanut Butter Balls
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As a kid, I loved helping my mom make peanut butter balls during every Christmas season, and I still consider them to be an absolute staple in my holiday baking! My vegan version forgoes cups of powdered sugar and butter, and instead uses a few lighter ingredients with only a fraction of the sweetener employed in traditional recipes. When the holidays roll around, you'll wonder how you ever lived without this recipe, but I have to say, they truly make the best year-round treat whenever a peanut butter and chocolate craving strikes! For a mess-free finger food, serve the Heavenly Peanut Butter Balls in mini cupcake liners. Be sure to read through all my tips in the Tips section before you begin. This recipe is adapted from my Peanut Better Balls in my cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day (2016).
Yield
20 to 22 medium balls (or 13 to 14 large)
Prep Time
35 Minutes
Cook time
0 Minutes
Chill time
50 minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 g) natural peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)*
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 mL) pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegan butter**
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup (29 g) gluten-free rice crisp cereal (not puffed rice)***
- 1 cup (185 g) semi-sweet (55% to 60%) vegan chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) coconut oil
- Large-flake sea salt (such as Maldon), for garnish
Directions:
- Line a large flat plate or small baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Clear a level space in your freezer for the plate or baking sheet as we’ll be transferring it there later.
- Stir the jar of peanut butter before measuring. To a large bowl, add the peanut butter, maple syrup, vegan butter, and salt. Using electric mixers, beat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on low speed, until the mixture is smooth and starts to thicken up a bit. The peanut butter mixture will go from runny to thickened during this time so it’s important to beat it for the time suggested. Stir in the rice crisp cereal by hand until combined. Place the bowl in the freezer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes so the mixture can firm up a bit.
- Using your hands, roll 1 packed tablespoon of peanut butter mixture into a ball. (Or, use 1 1/2 packed tablespoons of peanut butter mixture for large balls as shown in the photo.) Repeat for the rest until you have about 20 to 22 balls (or 13 to 14, if making large balls). Place each ball on the parchment-lined plate.
- To a small pot, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt over low heat, stirring frequently, until three-quarters of the chips are melted. Remove the pot from the heat and stir until the chips are fully melted.
- Using a fork, lower a ball into the melted chocolate. Roll it around until fully coated in chocolate. With the fork, lift the ball out of the chocolate and tap off excess chocolate on the side of the pot. Place the ball on the lined plate. The ball may stick to the fork a bit and that is totally fine! If needed, dip the back of a small spoon into the melted chocolate and smooth out any fork marks on the surface of the balls. Repeat this entire process for the rest of the balls, spacing the balls on the plate so they don’t touch. Don’t worry if a bit of chocolate pools on the bottom of the balls as we can trim it with a paring knife before serving. Keep any leftover melted chocolate in the pot as we’ll be using it to drizzle on the balls later.
- Place the plate in the freezer, uncovered, for around 15 minutes until the chocolate is firm.
- If needed, warm the leftover melted chocolate in the pot over low heat so it’s nice and runny, then turn off the heat. If the melted chocolate is still too thick, stir in a tiny amount (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) of coconut oil and the oil will thin it out. Using a spatula, scoop the chocolate to one side of the pot to form a small “pool” of chocolate. Dip a small spoon into the chocolate and drizzle it on top of the balls to create a fancy line design. Immediately sprinkle on a tiny pinch of large-flake sea salt.
- Return the plate to the freezer, uncovered, and chill for another 15 minutes until the chocolate is firm. With a paring knife, carefully trim any pooled chocolate at the bottom of each ball, if desired. Store leftover balls in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. If serving from the freezer, let the balls sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying.
* I recommend using 100% natural peanut butter for this recipe. You only want to see roasted peanuts on the label (salt is fine, too, just reduce the amount of salt in the recipe, to taste). Avoid using the thick and dry peanut butter that collects at the bottom of a jar; it’s simply too dry for this recipe. For best results, use peanut butter with a slightly runny and creamy consistency. I don't recommend using "no stir" peanut butter as it contains sweetener and oil which will throw off the flavours and texture and it has not been tested in this recipe.
** I use Melt Buttery Spread in this recipe, but you can use any kind of vegan butter you like. If your butter is rock hard, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before you begin so it’s easier to beat into the other ingredients.
*** I love Made Good Vanilla Brown Rice Crisps Cereal in this recipe. Be sure not to use puffed rice (which is larger and softer than rice crisp cereal) as it will become mushy.
If you have a tablespoon or two of melted chocolate leftover, here’s a fun trick to use it up rather than throwing it out: Simply stir in a handful of raisins until fully coated in chocolate. Spread the raisins out on a parchment-lined plate and freeze. Once the chocolate is firm, break apart and enjoy some chocolate-covered raisins!