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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!
If you need a chocolate and peanut butter snack for one, Puppy Chow for One satisfies the craving perfectly, because resisting the temptation to gorge the entire massive bowl is a struggle!
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 8/21/19 – recipes notes and photos updated 6/22/21}
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.
I hope that you love them, Cathy! They’re a bit of a mess to make, but always worth it.
You have to keep your hands wet. I rinsed them at least 10 times while rolling them.
I just used a melon baller. They’re not perfectly round, but they were really easy to make.
Lightly spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray to keep them from sticking to your hands
Stick the batter in the freezer for a while before rolling the balls. Put the rolled balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Then stick them in the freezer for awhile one more time before dipping. Makes it all so much easier.
Yes, a short time in the freezer makes the dipping super easy, good tip, Krista.
I put a little oil on my hands. Or just wet them a little and they won’t stick!
I first made a square of the dough and chilled it. Then I cut the dough into
squares (like fudge) and then I rolled the squares into balls. Faster and less sticking.
Cool tip, Jeanette! Thanks for sharing your method.
I used small cookie scoop. Like a ice cream one but small. Works perfect & no mess
Hi!!
I wear latex gloves and spray them with PAM……then you throw away gloves and have clean hands. I also spray the bowl makes it easier to clean. Good luck!
Marjo, Gatineau,Québec,Canada
Never thought about latex gloves. That s great idea. I always do it on bare hands when I finish making balls then I licked it up on my hand ha all done. Soo good lol
Exactly thats the thing she never metioned on how do you roll them into balls , its impossible. So i would say put it in the fridge for about 5min
I addded flour to the mixture to make it easier to roll (make sure to heat treat it! I didn’t the first time, oops lol)
Will this recipe work without the vegetable shortening. I have all the ingredients except for that and I really want to make these.
Yes, it will. You can sub coconut oil or butter too.
I use peanut butter instead of the shortening. It works great!
I have made these for years! They are always requested by my family, for the Holidays.
I’m so glad you like them!
You have shortening list but not where to use it
Hi Elena! The shortening is melted with the chocolate chips in the microwave. It is part of step 2 in the recipe instructions. Enjoy!
Can you use Splenda instead of powered sugar for diabetics ??
Please let me know , Thank you ?
I’m guessing that will work, Michele. However, I haven’t tried that myself.
I’m getting ready to make these. Yes you can use Splenda or Splenda blend which is half sugar. I would reduce the Splenda by a 1/4 or 1/3rd to help with taste. Since there is no baking, it shouldn’t effect the results much.
I chose this recipe because way less powdered sugar than others and I used Cocoa Krispies cereal. Super happy how they turned out.
I’m so glad you liked them, Kate!
Cocoa krispies – what a brilliant idea!!! Can’t wait to make them
What do you do with the vegetable shortening?
Melt your shortening with the chocolate for dipping.
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.
I’m so glad that you like them, Kelly!
Delicious homemade option. Thanks.
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
I’m glad you liked them, Heather!
Heather I agree I used the butter, but it never mentioned where you use the vegetable shortening read recipe 3 times never mentioned when to use so I made mine without the shortening and they where good but I wish the recipe would tell you where to use the shortening
Ladies – The butter is used in Step 1 and the shortening is used in step 2 – melted with the chocolate.
Look at the recipe you have at top of your page, it doesn’t list butter but your recipe at the bottom of all the commentary does.
That’s simply a graphic with the key flavor ingredients, it isn’t the full recipe, as you’d need the instructions too. Butter and shortening aren’t included there, but they’re included with amounts to be used in the printable recipe card and throughout the writing of this post.
Can you add alcohol to these?
I added peanut butter whiskey to mine about 2 tbsp and was great
This is my very 1st time trying this recipe and I am beyond excited. I have family coming to town and our mother who passed away used to make these for us as kids. I’m surprising them. But I saw where to use the shortening on the 1st read. You use it with the chocolate chips to melt them.
These are the best! Creamy, but with a crisp from the rice krispies! They are dangerously addicting!
Oh my gosh these look delicious!
What a delicious treat! This is exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! Yum!
Delicious for anytime of year!!!
I’m thrilled that you like them, Valorie!
I’m actually making them again tonight ??