PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

My mom made these almost every year around Christmas time. I remember watching her dip the peanut butter balls in the chocolate and hardly being able to wait until they were ready to eat! Growing up, these just became synonymous with Christmas for me. I now get to create the same anticipation for my kids as they patiently – or impatiently – wait for me to finish making these amazing peanut butter balls.

These are similar to traditional Buckeye Balls but have Rice Krispies, which give these the perfect crunchy texture. But unlike Buckeye Balls, the entire ball is dipped in chocolate.

I have a couple of suggestions that I believe take these traditional peanut butter balls to the next level:

• Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate is known to be healthier than milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, and there are many actual health benefits to eating it (read more here). To me, dark chocolate tastes better as well, and it certainly gives these peanut butter balls more of a rich, decadent flavor.
• Chunky Peanut Butter: Again, this is personal preference, but chunky peanut butter adds to the wonderful crunch of these balls. I would also recommend using natural peanut butter, one without so many artificial ingredients.
• Toppings: You certainly can dip these in chocolate and call it a day. But if you want to elevate these balls to the next level, I highly recommend topping these with finely chopped salted peanuts. Not only will they look amazing, but the little extra salty crunch on top is a game-changer. Also, you can drizzle leftover dipping chocolate over the top for additional visual appeal. To make my peanut butter balls look delectable, I top half of them with chopped nuts and drizzle chocolate over the other half (instructions for adding the toppings are found in the recipe below).
• Chocolate: Whenever you melt chocolate for dipping, it is always better to use baking chocolate bars found in the baking aisle. They melt so much smoother, and you will end up with chocolate with better consistency for dipping. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting into the correct consistency for a smooth coating when dipping.
• Using shortening or vegetable oil with the chocolate: Adding a couple of teaspoons of shortening, vegetable oil, or even coconut oil to the chocolate you are melting helps the chocolate melt more smoothly and makes for the perfect consistency for dipping. My preference is shortening because of its natural flavor.