Monday, December 20, 2010

My Friend Kelli's Peanut Butter Balls

When Kelli and I first met online we decided to have a cookie exchange for Christmas that year. That was about 15 years ago. Everything she sent was good, but one item was a stand out and I had never had anything like it. It was the Peanut Butter Ball. So, creamy, so peanutty, with a slight crunch from the peanut pieces. I loved them and had to have the recipe. She gladly sent it. I've been making them for 15 years. I've made them for friends and also passed the recipe on to delighted recipients on the West Coast.


Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup butter
1 pound crunchy peanut butter
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 pound box of graham crackers, crushed (approx. 3 cups of crumbs)
dipping chocolate (milk or semi-sweet)

Combine butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and graham crackers until well mixed. Shape into balls. Melt chocolate and dip balls. Cool on waxed paper.  Makes about 80.

Lynne's note: I used 3 cups of semi sweet chocolate that is what I always have on hand. I add some grated paraffin wax to chocolate. About 1/8 of a stick. It's edible and smooths out the chocolate giving it a nice thin shiny coating. If that freaks you out try adding 1 T or so of shortening. Does a similar thing. I found not thinning out the chocolate gives the balls a thicker chocolate coating that overwhelms the flavor of the peanut butter filling. If you love chocolate and are thinking "thicker coating is a bad thing?!" Then leave it out and go for it.

Used cookie scoop for 1 inch ball size and rolled balls by hand to smooth out.

Dipped in chocolate that was melted in a double boiler.  If you don't have one melt chocolate in microwave 30 seconds at a time stirring after each 30 seconds until all chocolate is melted.  Reheat chocolate when it cools and doesn't cover peanut butter balls well.

Left over chocolate no problem throw in some pretzels, maraschino cherries, dried fruit.  Stir around until coated pour out on waxed paper to set.  Break up for another holiday treat.

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