Peanut Butter Balls {Holiday Cookie Exchange}

My love of the most holy peanut butter-chocolate combination goes back to my family's Christmas cookie staple: Peanut Butter Balls. Apparently, some people call these Buckeyes. They're Peanut Butter Balls to us.

While I was home for Thanksgiving, Mom asked which Christmas cookies I wanted her to make. Peanut Butter Balls topped the list, followed by Coconut Joys, Turtles, Spritzes, and 7 Layer Bars. There's nothing particularly Christmas-y about these cookies, other than the fact we make them every Christmas.

I'll be honest: my mom has always done most of the work. My brother and I would help decorate the sugar cookies, unwrap the caramels, chop nuts, and do some mixing. But it was mostly Mom leading the charge.

It's been years since I've been home to help Mom make our Christmas cookies. Out of all these cookies, I've made a few batches of Coconut Joys but that's it. It was too strange to attempt my favorites without my mom's accompaniment.

While I know Peanut Butter Balls await me come Christmas, I decided I'd attempt to make them by myself this year. Mostly because: CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER.

 

Peanut Butter Balls

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups confectioners sugar (may add more as needed)

1/2 stick (up to 1 whole stick) butter, depending on how mixture sets up

2-4 cups chocolate chips

1/2 stick parafin wax (shave using peeler; we use Gulf Wax)

 

1. Line 2 jelly roll pans with wax paper.   

2. Mix first 3 ingredients well with a mixer. (If too wet, add more confectioners sugar.) Place mixture in refrigerator for about half an hour- this will make it easier to work with.

3. Roll dough into small balls, using spoon or ice cream scoop. If using your hands, coat with powdered sugar so the dough doesn't stick to your hands.

4. Place balls onto waxed paper on the pans, making sure they aren't touching. Place the pans in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. You could also put them in the freezer if you have the room.

5. Melt chocolate and wax in a double boiler or by microwave. If by microwave, heat for 1 minute, stir, and heat for additional 30 seconds as needed, stirring in between until completely melted. You'll need to keep this chocolate hot as you dip the balls so the chocolate doesn't set up too fast. If using the double boiler, keep heat on low until you're finished. Or if by microwave, heat for 30 seconds and stir to get it to the right consistency again.

6. Take only half of the balls out to work with so they don't cool too quickly. If the dough starts to get sticky, place the tray back in refrigerator for a bit until it firms back up.

7. Put one ball at a time into the melted chocolate (Hint: use a spoon or two to turn or pour extra chocolate over the ball, letting excess drip off.) You can use toothpicks to remove balls from chocolate or a spoon. Transfer ball onto the waxed paper to set. Repeat this for each ball.

8. When done, take a spoon and swirl chocolate on top of each ball to cover any holes.

9. Put pan in refrigerator to set, then remove to a large covered Tupperware with waxed paper between each layer, and store in a cool place.

Verdict: It's more fun to bake Christmas cookies with others than by oneself. But the Peanut Butter Balls still turned out deliciously! Now the only problem will be making sure I don't eat them all before my friend's cookie exchange next week.

Random fun fact: my dad despises peanut butter, to the degree that Peanut Butter Balls can only be made at my parents' house when he's not home. His loss, more for me.

Proof that I have the maturity of a 12 year old: I giggled so much while writing this post.

Linking up with LoveFeast's Holiday Cookie Exchange and hoping I'll win this Cookbook Journal. Also linking up with Leanne Penny's Christmas Cookie Exchange.

 

What's your favorite Christmas cookie?