Classic Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies for extra texture and crunch. A quick and easy candy recipe.
What do you get when you combine peanut butter, chocolate, and Rice Krispies in a simple no-bake dessert recipe? You get one happy family of taste testers.
I’ve shared my family’s Peanut Butter Balls (aka Buckeyes) recipe here before (and it’s one of my most popular recipes).
Once you’ve made them, you’ll understand our love for those chocolate peanut butter treats. And then you may find yourself making all of these variations:
Peanut Butter Pretzel Buckeyes
Peanut Butter Balls with Graham Crackers
Chocolate Peanut Butter Acorns
All of these recipes make terrific Christmas Candies for gifting or for snacking. It’s a tradition in our family to make these each year.
These Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies have become another friend and family favorite over the years.
I fondly remember enjoying Peanut Butter Balls with my family as a child. It brings back happy childhood memories every time I bite into one.
I’m delighted to share this recipe with you here so you can experience the same joy with your family!
How to Make Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
Cooking Tools You’ll Need
- Parchment paper or wax paper to prevent your cookies from sticking to the baking sheet
- A large mixing bowl to combine your ingredients
- Your microwave or a double boiler to melt your chocolate
Ingredients
- Peanut butter: You have options with your peanut butter choice depending on your preference. You can opt for creamy or crunchy peanut butter for this recipe.
- Butter: This is another essential ingredient for your recipe. It should be soft, but not completely melted.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar will add a lot of flavor and sweetness to your Peanut Butter Balls.
- Rice Krispies cereal: The cereal will provide amazing texture to your buckeyes. You want to crush them slightly, so they’re somewhere between their original texture and a fine dust. Also, you don’t have to use the Rice Krispies brand, you can opt for an off-brand as well.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can pick the chocolate chips of your choice.
- Vegetable shortening: This recipe works best with soft vegetable shortening
Rice Krispy Peanut Butter Balls
You want to start by lining your cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent your balls from sticking to the cookie sheet.
Then, combine your peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl until you have a smooth and creamy mixture. A heavy-duty stand mixer makes this easy
Now it’s time to add the cereal. You will add it to your peanut butter mix until everything is combined well.
Next, you will use your mixture to create your peanut butter balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Then, put them in the refrigerator and allow them to chill for at least 30 minutes.
After your peanut butter balls chill for 30 minutes, you want to prepare the chocolate chip coating.
How To Melt Chocolate For Peanut Butter Balls
You have two options for melting your chocolate chips. You can place them in a microwave for 1 minute and stir, then continue heating them for 20-30 seconds. Continue to do this until your chocolate is melted.
An alternative is to use a double boiler. To do this, you boil a pot of water. Then place a heat-safe bowl containing your chocolate chips on top of the pot.
The heat will melt your chocolate chips. Be sure to monitor your mixture closely and stir it regularly.
To avoid the white film forming on the chocolate, you’ll need to temper your chocolate which can be a little more involved. I usually skip this step, but here is a great tutorial.
After your chocolate melts, it’s time for the fun part. You want to dip your Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies into your chocolate mixture and place them on a cookie sheet until they’re firm.
How to store Peanut Butter Balls
If you’re going to eat them within a few days, you should place any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Alternatively, they freeze well in an airtight container for several weeks. These are a great make-ahead Christmas candy for the holidays.
If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it. Leave me a comment below or give it a rating in the recipe card. Happy Baking – or No Baking!
Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal slightly crushed
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar. Stir in cereal until well combined.
- Shape into balls, place on a cookie sheet, and chill for at least 30 minutes. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and shortening.
- Heat for 1 minute and stir, then continue heating for 20-30 seconds and stirring after each interval until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until completely smooth. Dip balls into chocolate and place on a cookie sheet until firm.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several weeks.
Nutrition
{originally published 8/21/19 – recipes notes and photos updated 6/22/21}
Beth Pierce says
What a delicious treat! This is exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! Yum!
Valorie Livingston says
Delicious for anytime of year!!!
Mary says
I’m thrilled that you like them, Valorie!
Jessica says
Oh my gosh these look delicious!
Kristyn says
These are the best! Creamy, but with a crisp from the rice krispies! They are dangerously addicting!
Laura Reese says
Delicious homemade option. Thanks.
Heather stocklin says
I just made these but without the butter and shortening bc it didn’t say why to use those, or I just scrolled past them. But they turnt out to be delicious anyways.. definitely a keeper for sure. Thank you
Mary says
I’m glad you liked them, Heather!
Kelly says
How on earth have l never had these in 60+ years? Thanks you for postIng an easy to make, ridiculously delicious recipe. This is a keeper and now l have lots of lost time to make up! Thank you from Canada.
Mary says
I’m so glad that you like them, Kelly!
Kate Nadeau says
I chose this recipe because way less powdered sugar than others and I used Cocoa Krispies cereal. Super happy how they turned out.
Mary says
I’m so glad you liked them, Kate!
Maggie says
Cocoa krispies – what a brilliant idea!!! Can’t wait to make them
Michele J ROSS says
Can you use Splenda instead of powered sugar for diabetics ??
Please let me know , Thank you 😊
Mary says
I’m guessing that will work, Michele. However, I haven’t tried that myself.
Elena says
You have shortening list but not where to use it
Mary says
Hi Elena! The shortening is melted with the chocolate chips in the microwave. It is part of step 2 in the recipe instructions. Enjoy!
Ashley Leiker says
Will this recipe work without the vegetable shortening. I have all the ingredients except for that and I really want to make these.
Mary says
Yes, it will. You can sub coconut oil or butter too.
cathy conners says
I don’t know how they will turn out, I just finished rolling out the balls. My question is how can you get them not to stick to your hands when rolling? My goodness what a mess. LOL can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Mary says
I hope that you love them, Cathy! They’re a bit of a mess to make, but always worth it.
danielle says
You have to keep your hands wet. I rinsed them at least 10 times while rolling them.
Laura Claussen says
I just used a melon baller. They’re not perfectly round, but they were really easy to make.
Martha says
Lightly spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray to keep them from sticking to your hands
ChyAnn Stroh says
Hi, I haven’t made this recipe yet. Hoping to this weekend. If you don’t use the chocolate in the peanut butter balls do you still need the vegetable shortening?
Mary says
If you will not be dipping them in chocolate, you don’t need the shortening.
Amy says
This is my moms exact recipie, except she would put bakers wax in the chocolate to melt instead of shortening … it’s for the sheen on the chocolate balls and worth adding! Thanks for posting!
Mary says
I’m so glad you love them too!
Sandii Nauss says
I found that I had to use more icing sugar to make the peanut butter “batter” stiffer and even then they didn’t form/roll as nicely as they should have…
Danielle says
I used coconut oil instead of shortening and they were fantastic!
Mary says
I’m so glad you like them!
Katie says
How many candies does this recipe make?
Mary says
If I recall correctly, this makes about 50 candies. I’ll make a note of the actual amounts next time I make them!
Sharon says
Forgive me if I’m missing this in the recipe, but would I use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks in advance.
Mary says
I typically use salted butter, Sharon.
Jen says
I have a family recipe for these kind of bon bons. However the butter is melted. The chocolate is Hershey bars and parrafin wax. It’s a family favorite!
Ann Boles says
I went with a half recipe and it made 12 versus 18. Then chilled my cookie tray and scoop while making the balls. I also chilled the scooped out mixture prior to rolling into balls. Helped a bit but probably not by much. Excited to have our family try them as a special treat!!
Erin says
These needed a lot more krispies, the consistency is very soft and sticky. I expected them to harden after chilling and I even chilled them for longer, but they didn’t. The flavor is good, but they were hard to form and hard to coat.
Mary says
You can certainly add more rice krispies to your preference, Erin. We like them soft with just a bit of crunch. They should’ve firmed up a bit in the fridge too.
Mom of boys says
This is the recipe I have been searching for!!! Chocolatey and crispy with peanut butter goodness! It is a new fave with my boys! They are requesting them for the weekend they’ll be away for wrestling. Thank you so much for sharing!!! They are amazing!!!❤️
Mary says
I’m so happy to hear that they are a hit!
Sandy says
If they’re too dry/crumbley, should I add more butter or peanut butter? Also is margarine okay instead of butter?
Mary says
You can add a little more peanut butter if they aren’t holding together.
Colleen says
Have received nothing but rave reviews on these! I’m a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate. Sooooo tasty!
Mary says
I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the recipe, Colleen!