by Natasha Henderson. Recipe thanks to her Mom.
When I was growing up, there was an infamous recipe (well, there were actually several) that my Mom would make for Christmas. This is one of my personal favorites, a classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate. A reward for not eating them all while they’re being processed is to lick clean the chocolate-pan. Yummy!
I love this recipe, however, I would like to try some changes the next time I make it. I’d change the icing sugar to a small amount of stevia, or try some natural cane icing sugar. I would most certainly?áchange the sweet chocolate into dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.?áI already use a natural peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts!) rather than a sugary, fructose-laden, hydrogenated-oily?áone. I might even throw?áa dash of salt into the mix?áto contrast with the sweetness?áor tartness of the chocolate.
Mom’s Peanut Butter Balls
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup?áIcing Sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup Chopped Peanuts
Combine all above ingredients, then shape into?áballs of about 3/4″. Chill?áin a pan, on waxed paper, overnight.
When they’ve chilled thoroughly, melt enough sweet chocolate to cover them (about three squares) and dip.?áAt this point you have an option to roll them in crushed nuts, toasted coconut, or graham crumbs. (My family has tried all these over the years and always go back to the plain chocolate…) Place on?áwaxed paper pan, and chill in the refrigerator again ’til the chocolate hardens. Can be frozen (but probably won’t be!)?áEnjoy!
Natasha will make a “classic version” of this recipe, and will also try out the healthier options. She will taste-test them both, and report back here…
Comments
4 responses to “Peanut Butter Balls”
Hey Natasha,
Looks good!!! This recipe reminds me of Rosemary Gladstar’s “Zoom Balls” recipe or the recipes for energy balls that I have found in raw food uncookedbooks. (hahaha) In these recipes, dried fruits, such as mashed up dates, are generally used as a sweetener. Almond butter or other nut butters are used instead of peanut butter. Rosemary Gladstar throws in herb powders for some added benefits! So many options!
But yeah, these are a delicious and fancy classic.
Thanks for sharing your mom’s recipe with all of us!
Tammy
Oooh, yes, almond butter! Thank you for reminding me, I actually prefer that to peanut butter. I’ll try the date-sweetener idea too! Hmmm! Maybe I’ll make and send to my Mom for her own care-package this year…
that sounds great!
[…] few days ago I shared the story about my favorite Christmas recipe: Mom’s Peanut Butter Balls. I had expressed a hope that I would be able to improve the healthiness of this treat, while […]