Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Creamy and crispy.
Taste: Like deliciously crisp peanut butter cups!
Ease: So easy to make! No-bake recipe made with simple ingredients.
Top Tips: To make these gluten-free, opt for a crispy rice cereal that’s labeled gluten-free and doesn’t contain barley malt or malt flavor.
Would I make these again? 100% yes! I love how easy these peanut butter balls are to make — perfect for cookie exchanges and other events throughout the busy holiday season.
xoxo erin
This post was originally published in December 2022. It was updated with new photos and instructions in October 2024.
Peanut butter truffles, buckeye balls, krispy peanut butter balls — no matter what you call them, they’re the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
These no-bake peanut butter balls come together quickly, but look impressive and taste amazing — the best of both worlds! These crowd-pleasers are a must-have on your holiday cookie tray.
Featured Comment
From Beth: “This is better than a peanut butter cup, so delicious!! It has soon become a family favorite!!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Gluten-Free?
- How to Make Peanut Butter Balls
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- What kind of crispy rice cereal should I use if I need the peanut butter balls to be gluten-free?
- Can the peanut butter balls be made dairy-free?
- How do I make sure the chocolate coating dries smooth and doesn’t crack?
- What should I do if the peanut butter mixture is too sticky to roll and shape?
- Recipe Tips
- More Favorite Christmas Treats
- Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these peanut butter balls. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements
- Powdered sugar: Not only does the powdered sugar add sweetness, it also helps create a smooth texture while binding everything together without too much stickiness.
- Butter: The butter adds richness and moisture to help the overall flavor and texture, making the peanut butter balls easier to form. Use room temperature, salted butter for this recipe.
- Rice Krispies: Traditional peanut butter balls don’t include Rice Krispies, but I love how they add a light, crunchy texture for a bit of contrast. If you need gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free crispy rice cereal.
- Peanut butter: The star of the show, the peanut butter provides the key flavor and richness for this classic treat. Be sure to use creamy peanut butter, like Jiff or Skippy. Natural peanut butter won’t give you the same results!
If you love peanut butter, try these peanut butter bars , flourless peanut butter cookies, and scotcheroos.
- Chocolate: The chocolate coating adds to the overall texture as it hardens and creates a smooth outer layer. Plus chocolate is just the perfect flavor pairing for peanut butter. I like to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chocolate chips, but any chocolate will work!
- Coconut Oil: The coconut oil is optional, but I like to use it to make the chocolate thinner and better for dipping. The peanut butter balls end up evenly coated in chocolate and looking their best!
For more old-fashioned recipes, try this peanut brittle, english toffee, candy popcorn, and pecan log.
Gluten-Free?
To make these peanut butter balls gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free crispy rice cereal. Look for a brand that DOES NOT contain barley malt or malt flavor. Check out this post on gluten-free rice krispie treats for more details.
For more gluten-free holiday cookies, check out these gluten-free Christmas cookies, gluten-free snowball cookies, gluten-free gingersnaps and gluten-free thumbprint cookies.
How to Make Peanut Butter Balls
Here’s an overview of how to make these peanut butter balls. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- In a large bowl: Either using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, combine the peanut butter and butter on medium speed.
- Add in ingredients: Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until well-combined. You may need to pause here and there to scrape the mixture off the sides of the bowl.
- Stir in cereal: Mix the rice krispies into the mixture.
- Scoop and roll: Scoop the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll in your hands to shape them into round balls. Place on prepared baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes so they harden.
- Dip in chocolate: Combine chocolate and coconut oil in a medium bowl and microwave on 50% power until melted. Make sure to stop and stir it every 30 seconds until it is smooth. Let cool to room temperature then dip peanut butter balls in chocolate using a skewer or toothpick.
- Chill and enjoy: Refrigerate the peanut butter balls until the chocolate is set. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: You can make the peanut butter balls ahead of time and wait to cover them in chocolate until closer to serving. Make the peanut butter balls, freeze them for 30 minutes on a baking sheet to help them set, then freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes then coat in chocolate.
To Store: These will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. I recommend refrigerating them to prevent the chocolate from melting. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up tgo 2 weeks. Use parchment paper to separate layers and avoid sticking.
To Freeze: Freeze chocolate-coated peanut butter balls on a lined baking sheet for 30 minutes to ensure the chocolate is set. Transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt too much.
What kind of crispy rice cereal should I use if I need the peanut butter balls to be gluten-free?
I like to use crispy rice cereal from Wegman’s or Aldi, but any brand that’s labeled gluten-free will work. Check the ingredients for barley malt and malt flavor, two common gluten ingredients in Rice Krispie cereals.
Can the peanut butter balls be made dairy-free?
Definitely! Use vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate to make these treats dairy-free.
How do I make sure the chocolate coating dries smooth and doesn’t crack?
Use coconut oil (or shortening) in the melted chocolate to make the coating thinner and shinier so that it more evenly coats the peanut butter balls. Make sure the balls are chilled before dipping and don’t overheat the chocolate, stopping the microwaving process as soon as its melted, so that the coating doesn’t crack when set.
What should I do if the peanut butter mixture is too sticky to roll and shape?
If they’re too sticky to work with, trying adding a little more powdered sugar or Rice Krispies to the mixture until it reaches a consistency you can roll and shape into balls.
Recipe Tips
- I recommend a smooth peanut butter like Jiff or Skippy for this recipe.
- These will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, just make sure they’re covered.
- Adding a little coconut oil helps thin the chocolate so it’s easier to dip the balls. Shortening will also work!
You also might like our favorite marshmallow fudge recipe!
Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Balls
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal, slightly crushed see note for gluten-free
For the Chocolate Coating
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil optional
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the peanut butter and butter. Mix together on medium speed until well combined.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the crispy rice cereal.
- Scoop the peanut butter mixture into Tablespoon-sized balls and roll between your palms to make round balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Freeze the peanut butter balls for 30 minutes until hardened.
- Add chocolate and coconut oil to a medium bowl and melt on 50% power in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Use a skewer or toothpick to dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Leave a bit of the peanut butter exposed for that signature buckeye pea look. Or spoon a little chocolate over the hole where the toothpick was if desired.
- Refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Enjoy!
Hi I was wondering if I could reduce the amount of rice cereal and add some crushed pretzels for another bit of crunch?
Hi Leanne, we haven’t tried this substitution, but it sounds like a yummy addition! It may change the texture a bit, but let us know how it works out!
what do you think of substituting the rice cereal with organic puffed quinoa? would you use the same amount and crush some of it? Thank you for your response.
Hi Gail, that sounds like it’s worth a try! The same amount should work and crushing it some should help the texture. We’d love to hear how it goes!
what kind of gluten free rice Krispie’s do you use? Thank you
I used the crispy rice cereal from Wegman’s or Aldi!
This is better than a peanut butter cup, so delicious!! It has soon become a family favorite!!
Very good and less sweet than traditional buckeyes with the addition of the rice crispy cereal. We completely crushed the cereal and used 1 1/2-2 cups of the crumbs. Delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
they are amazing if you do it on christmas. i love when my mom dose them
These are delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe! Mine were not as pretty as yours but they are amazing! 🙂
I’m so glad they turned out for you! 🙂
Our family loves peanut butter balls. I use a combination of crunchy and creamy peanut butter in addition to the rice krispy’s. Yum!!
Such a great combination! I hope you enjoy them!