No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

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This no-bake chocolate peanut butter balls recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients (including graham crackers)! They are always the first treat to disappear from my Christmas cookie tray! Decorate them with melted chocolate or festive holiday sprinkles! 

overhead view of a peanut butter ball cut in half so the filling is showing.


You’re probably already knee-deep into your holiday baking (we’ve already made cut-out sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, and oatmeal cookies), but you must add these no-bake peanut butter balls to your holiday treat list.

This chocolate peanut butter balls recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients! They are always the first treat to disappear from my Christmas cookie tray, because no one can resist the chocolate peanut butter flavor combination!

They are creamy with a little crunch (from the graham crackers) and have a big peanut butter flavor! You can decorate them with melted chocolate or holiday sprinkles for a festive flare! 

10 No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls with a chocolate drizzle

Peanut Butter Balls Recipe: Ingredients

Let’s chat about the ingredients used in this recipe, and possible substitutions.

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this chocolate peanut butter balls recipe
  • Salted butter: unsalted butter, vegan butter, or coconut oil are good substitutes.
  • Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter that is solid at room temperature. If you use peanut butter that is liquid at room temperature, you will need to serve these cold or add more powdered sugar or graham cracker crumbs to make the mixture firmer.
  • Powdered sugar: if you try to avoid refined sugar, make this easy Paleo Powdered Sugar and use it as a substitution.
  • Graham Cracker Crumbs: I process graham crackers in my Vitamix or food processor until a fine powder forms. If you have any dietary restrictions use a gluten-free/allergy friendly graham cracker variety!
  • Chocolate Chips: Choose your favorite chocolate – we prefer semisweet, but milk, dark and even white chocolate all work well.
overhead view of a No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball cut in half so the center is showing sitting on top of 15 other balls.

How to Make Peanut Butter Balls

This chocolate covered peanut butter balls recipe has three main steps that we’ll walk through together.

Make Homemade Graham Cracker Crumbs

If you prefer to make your own graham cracker crumbs, here’s how to do it:

Place 10-11 graham crackers into a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or blender.

making graham cracker crumbs in a food processor to use to make chocolate peanut butter balls

Process/blend until mixture turns into a fine powder, then, use in the recipe as directed.

making graham cracker crumbs in a food processor to use to make chocolate peanut butter balls

Once you have your graham cracker crumbs, make the peanut butter balls filling. Beat the butter, peanut butter and vanilla together until smooth.

two overhead photos showing how to make peanut butter balls filling

Then, add the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture resembles a coarse meal that comes together easily when pinched. The balls should be easy to roll. 

two overhead photos showing how to make peanut butter balls filling

Use a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out peanut butter ball mixture. Roll each 1 TBS portion into a smooth ball and place each ball on the lined baking sheet.  (Note: if balls are not rolling smoothly add a touch more peanut butter to the mixture). Repeat until all the peanut butter ball mixture is used.

Place peanut butter balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze until hardened (about 1 hour). 

two overhead photos showing how to make peanut butter balls portioning filling and forming into balls

Make the Chocolate Coating

Towards the end of the freezing time, make the chocolate peanut butter coating. Melt the chocolate and peanut butter together in the microwave or on a double boiler on the stovetop until glossy and smooth. 

Transfer melted chocolate to a small bowl (you want the chocolate to be deep, not a shallow layer in a large bowl).

two overhead photos showing how to make chocolate coating

Coat Peanut Butter Balls in Chocolate

Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer and dip each one individually into the chocolate mixture.

Shake off excess chocolate and place on the wax paper on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the balls are coated with chocolate.

front view of a peanut butter ball being dipped in chocolate

Add Toppings

If desired, immediately sprinkle with sprinkles, fine sea salt, crushed peanuts, etc. (before the chocolate hardens).

front view of 7 chocolate peanut butter balls with Christmas sprinkles

Drizzle with Chocolate

  1. Wait until the peanut butter balls are hardened.
  2. Melt more chocolate, white chocolate, candy melts, etc. and drizzle on top (for a perfect drizzle I use a decorators bag and pipe it on with a small round tip).
  3. Let set until hardened.
Overhead view of 5 chocolate peanut butter balls, 3 with sprinkles 2 with a chocolate drizzle

Set

Since the peanut butter balls are frozen the chocolate will set up quickly. Let them set on the baking sheet until it has hardened. You can place them in the refrigerator or freezer to speed the process along. 

Serve

These peanut butter balls are best when served at room temperature because the chocolate is soft enough to bite through without cracking! 

Store/freeze

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw slowly at room temperature or in the refrigerator – do not warm in the microwave.

up close overhead view of a No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball cut in half sitting on top of other peanut butter balls.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Recipe FAQS

Can you freeze peanut butter balls?

Yes, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

How do you make a chocolate coating that will harden?

The chocolate peanut butter coating in this recipe hardens beautifully, and it’s easy to make! The trick is using mostly chocolate, which is solid at room temperature. Adding  just a touch of peanut butter makes it soft enough to bite through without cracking! 

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, this recipe easily doubles to make enough to give as gifts or to feed a crowd.

front view of a No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball cut in half standing up on a plate surrounded by other peanut butter balls

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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Laura
This no-bake chocolate peanut butter balls recipe is easy to make with only 6 ingredients (including graham crackers)! They are always the first treat to disappear from my Christmas cookie tray! Decorate them with melted chocolate or festive holiday sprinkles! 
5 from 4 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 36 peanut butter balls
Calories 159
Prep Time20 minutes
Freezing1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Peanut Butter Balls:

For the chocolate coating:

Instructions 

Make the Peanut Butter Filling

  • In a large bowl, mix together powder sugar and graham cracker crumbs, set aside.
  • In a mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
  • Add powdered sugar mixture and a pinch of salt and beat until combined.
  • Line a large baking sheet with wax paper.
  • Use a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out peanut butter ball mixture.
  • Roll each 1 Tablespoon portion into a smooth ball and place each ball on the lined baking sheet. (Note: if balls are not rolling smoothly add a touch more peanut butter to the mixture). Repeat until all the peanut butter ball mixture is used.
  • Place peanut butter balls in the freezer for at least 1 hour (or until frozen).

Make the chocolate coating:

  • After 1 hour, place chocolate chips and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter in a microwave safe dish or in the bowl of a double boiler. Melt, stirring until smooth and glossy.
  • Transfer melted chocolate to a small bowl (you want the chocolate to be deep, not a shallow layer in a large bowl).

Dip into Chocolate

  • Remove peanut butter balls from the freezer and dip each one individually into the chocolate mixture.
  • Shake off excess chocolate and place on the wax paper on the baking sheet.
  • If desired, immediately sprinkle with sprinkles (before the chocolate hardens).
  • Repeat until all the peanut butter balls are coated with chocolate.
  • Let the peanut butter balls harden, either at room temperature or in the freezer (faster).
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature!
  • Serve at room temperature!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions
  • Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter (Earth Balance) or ghee. 
  • Peanut Butter: Make sure it’s creamy and not too liquidy. I prefer a natural, no-stir variety so that the balls hold up better as they reach room temperature. If you choose to use a more runny peanut butter you will need to serve these cold or add more powdered sugar or graham cracker crumbs to make them roll easier (and make less of a mess). 
  • Powdered sugar: if you try to avoid refined sugar, make this easy Paleo Powdered Sugar and use it as a substitution.
  • Graham Cracker Crumbs: I just toss some grahams in my Vitamix or food processor and blend them up. If you have any dietary restrictions use a gluten-free/allergy friendly graham cracker variety!
  • Chocolate Chips: Our favorite chocolate of choice is a semi-sweet variety. However I have used milk and dark chocolate with delicious results. 
To make your own graham cracker crumbs:
  1. Place 10-11 graham crackers into a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or blender.
  2. Process/blend until mixture turns into a fine powder.
  3. Use in the recipe as directed.
To create a drizzle on top of the peanut butter balls:
  1. Wait until they are hardened.
  2. Melt more chocolate, white chocolate, candy melts, etc. and drizzle on top! (for a perfect drizzle I use a decorators bag and pipe it on with a small round tip).
    Let set until hardened.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw slowly at room temperature or in the refrigerator – do not warm in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball | Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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1 Comment

  1. I love these Laura! I made them last week, and i think I might like them even more than buckeyes because of the crunchy bits inside the balls. I used cookies inside them, and they were delectable.