A couple of days ago my daughter came out to the kitchen and looked around at all the cookies. “Are you going to make Peanut Butter Balls?”

I hadn’t planned on it. I don’t care for peanut butter. It’s okay and I eat it maybe once or twice a month but my family is crazy for peanut butter. So, I decided to squeeze them in just for her.

This is another cookie, I use that term very loosely with these as I think they are more candy than cookie, that goes by many names – Buckeyes, Buckeye Balls, Peanut Butter Balls, etc….

Verdict:

As you can see by my fingerprint on top of the right cookie and when I cut the cookie open so you could see the center they weren’t quite set yet. They get better when they have set and the chocolate has hardened. You want to make these on an afternoon or evening when you are not rushed and can coat them in chocolate without trying to get them done in 15 minutes.

These are almost like peanut butter fudge coated in chocolate. There are many variations on this recipe adding crushed graham crackers, Rice Krispies, or nuts. I go for the plain and simple ones because my son is mostly gluten-free and when he was little these were the one treat I could make with him that wasn’t from a mix. Gluten-free mixes and ingredients have come a long way in the past 8 years!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 lb. Confectioners Sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 bar paraffin (This is usually found in the canning section of your grocery store. It is added to make the chocolate not so brittle when eating.)

Directions:

1. Cream together peanut butter and butter until well combined.
2. Add in Confectioners sugar and vanilla to peanut butter mixture. Stir until well combined.
3. Place a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet. Roll dough into 1″ balls.
4. Melt chocolate and paraffin in a double boiler. Be careful to use dry pans, spoons, etc, and not allow any of the water to seep into your chocolate or else it will seize and you will need to start again with fresh ingredients. (Learn from my mistakes over the years.)
5. Once chocolate and paraffin are melted let them cool just a tiny bit. Working quickly with two spoons place one or two balls at a time in the pan and roll them in the chocolate. Remove back to parchment paper. If there are any open holes where the chocolate did not coat at the end drizzle a bit of chocolate over those spots.
6. Place cookies in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes until set. Can be frozen once set.