Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, non crispy

Original Recipe at: http://shewearsmanyhats.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-balls-recipe/

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter (substitute other nut butters, if needed)
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 cup+ powdered sugar
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix peanut butter and butter together in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until combined well into a dough ball. If needed, add more powdered sugar a little at a time until mixture holds together in a large ball. Cover and let peanut butter dough sit for about 15 minutes to firm up, or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to form balls.
2. Shape into 1-inch balls, place on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow to firm up. Dough balls should hold shape before dipping in chocolate. Add more refrigeration time if necessary.
3. Melt chocolate according to package instructions.
4. Dip peanut butter balls one at a time into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTES

The peanut butter dough can be made ahead, tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a couple of days until ready to form the balls. Once peanut butter balls are formed, they can also be covered in plastic wrap ad refrigerated until ready to dip in chocolate.

Finished peanut butter "dough" should be firm enough to make a ball that holds together. Additional powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) may be needed. Just add a tablespoon or so until the correct consistency is reached. If peanut butter dough seems too soft, tightly wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up before forming balls. 

Warm hands will make the dough soften. If dough begins to soften, return the dough to refrigerator to firm back up for a little while. The same can be said for working in a warm space. If it's hot where you are, you may need to keep returning the dough to the refrigerator, and/or add more powdered sugar to thicken up dough.

If concerned with peanut allergies, substitute an almond butter or other nut butter that is allowed for the peanut butter.

A few notes:

Make sure there is room in the fridge for chilling a baking sheet of these. Chilling is important!

The peanut butter dough can be made ahead, tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a couple of days until ready to form the balls.

Finished peanut butter “dough” should be firm enough to make a ball that holds together. Additional powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) may be needed. Just add a tablespoon or so until the correct consistency is reached.

Warm hands will make the dough soften. If dough begins to soften, return the dough to refrigerator to firm back up for a little while. The same can be said for working in a warm space. If it’s hot where you are, you may need to keep returning the dough to the refrigerator, and/or add more powdered sugar to thicken up dough.

A wooden skewer or thick toothpick will help for dipping the peanut butter balls in chocolate. Once dipped and excess chocolate has dripped off, slide a fork under the ball (skewer between tines) and pull the skewer out from below, while holding ball with fork. Then use skewer to gently push ball off of fork onto lined baking pan.

For chocolate dipping, try this tip I learned from my friend, Bakerella. Once dipped in chocolate, while holding the skewered peanut butter ball over container of melted chocolate, gently tap your wrist or hand with your other hand until the excess chocolate drips off. I thought it was an odd thing to tap my wrist or arm instead of just shake the stuff off, until I tried it. Works like a charm!

Hot Mama Notes: This is the peanut butter ball recipe I chose not to make in favor of the rice crispies in the other recipe.  However, this sounds like a good recipe, and I'd like to try it next time!! :)