When I was younger my family would always make a TON of Christmas candy every year that we would eat throughout the holiday season, give as gifts, and bring to holiday parties. When I lived in California and when I lived in New York my friends and coworkers would always anxiously await the Christmas tin of homemade candy. (Yesterday I actually got an IM from a coworker in our NY office reminiscing about the annual delivery.)

When I moved out of my parents’ house I made a few holiday treats every year, carrying on the tradition. But for the last few years I haven’t made anything because I pretty much didn’t have a kitchen to cook in, so this year, since I do, I decided to make something. .. and I was craving Peanut Butter Balls, so that’s what I made.

Here’s the secret: I didn’t use the family recipe! I wanted try peanut butter balls a new way so I looked online and found this recipe. Instead of peanut butter, graham crackers and granular sugar as the main ingredients, this recipe used peanut butter, rice krispies, and powdered sugar. Today I’m going to my brothers house and I’ll be serving these to my family. Should be scandalous!

Click the link below for the recipe.

Peanut Butter Balls
Source: All Recipes
Story: On All Recipes it says that the author of this recipe got it from her 96-year-old neighbor.
Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Melt peanut butter and butter in saucepan, over low heat. In large bowl, mix crispy rice cereal and confectioners’ sugar well. Pour melted peanut butter and butter over cereal and sugar and blend together thoroughly.

2. Form into 1 inch or smaller balls, spread on cookie sheets, chill till firm in refrigerator (over night is okay).

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler and keep melted while working with balls. A teaspoon is best to use in dipping the balls in chocolate. Dip good and place on cookie sheet. As you dip them place them back on cookie sheet and keep chilled till firm.

Notes
1. When rolling the balls I followed one of the tips I found in the user reviews for this recipe – I put a toothpick in the balls before refrigerating them. This made dipping them in the chocolate easier. After dipping the balls I removed the toothpick.

2. When making candy I usually melt down a block of chocolate bark and not chocolate chips but I ordered all of the ingredients for this recipe from Peapod and they didn’t have it. I used milk chocolate chips.

3. I don’t have a double boiler to I melted the chips in the microwave.

4. Even though I tried not to melt the chips for too long, they were too thick and dry for proper dipping so I added some oil to the chocolate to smooth it out. If you add a small amount of oil it doesn’t really taint the taste of the chocolate but it does require a longer time for it to dry.

5. I usually dry candy on wax paper lined cookie sheets. I only had foil and used some cookie racks. The foil was ok, the cookie racks left marks in the bottom of the candy. I don’t put candy in the fridge to firm the chocolate.