Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

A little behind on posts as you can see! We hosted a Christmas gift-giving party for a group—everyone made a sampling of gifts from the kitchen. Here's one of those recipes . . .

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Yield:  about thirty-eight 3/4" balls          

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 cups Rice Krispie type cereal

8 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1.  Beat together the peanut butter and corn syrup in a medium size bowl until well blended.  

2.  Stir in rice cereal until well mixed. Using rounded teaspoonfuls, shape mixture into ball shapes.  

3.  Place on large, foil or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Chill for several hours (about 2) or until firm. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave); stir well to blend. 

4.  Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, spear peanut butter rounds; dip into chocolate, turning to coat completely; shake off excess chocolate by gently tapping fork on edge of bowl. Return to the baking sheet. (If chocolate thickens too much, reheat, or microwave at HALF power, until soft enough to dip.) Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. 

5.   Let stand until hardened.

GIFT GIVING IDEA:

Add each ball to a paper liner, place on a Christmas plate 

and cover with plastic wrap or cellophane. Or, wrap a styrofoam cone in cellophane, add toothpicks to the chocolate balls and create a Chocolate Ball Tree . . .

Other easy holiday gift giving recipes include:
Tortilla Snowflakes
Pretzel Turtles
Cran-Almond Snowballs

Recipe without photos . . .

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Yield:  about thirty-eight 3/4" balls          

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 cups Rice Krispie type cereal

8 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

1.  Beat together the peanut butter and corn syrup in a medium size bowl until well blended.  

2.  Stir in rice cereal until well mixed. Using rounded teaspoonfuls, shape mixture into ball shapes.  

3.  Place on large, foil or wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Chill for several hours (about 2) or until firm. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave); stir well to blend. 

4.  Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, spear peanut butter rounds; dip into chocolate, turning to coat completely; shake off excess chocolate by gently tapping fork on edge of bowl. Return to the baking sheet. (If chocolate thickens too much, reheat, or microwave at HALF power, until soft enough to dip.) Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

5.    Let stand until hardened.