Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls or Buckeyes are so good and very easy to make. If you enjoy peanut butter cups, you will definitely like eating these as well. Just a few simple ingredients and you will have a delicious candy treat, perfect for the holidays and for any time of year.

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. maple flavored extract
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine the butter and peanut butter until combined.  Add the powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.  Pour in the vanilla and maple flavor extract. Stir to combine.  

On a surface dusted with powdered sugar, knead the peanut butter mixture until thoroughly combined. You don't want the mixture to be crumbly, nor do you want it to be very sticky.

Form into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes or until the peanut butter balls are firm.  If it is cold weather, we put ours outside on the porch to become firm.  Make sure you cover them if stray animals are in your neighborhood. You don't want to loose your candy.

Pour the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave them for approximately 1 minute. Remember to stop the melting process every 15 seconds to stir the chocolate. This is very important as you do not want the chocolate to burn.  If the chocolate is too thick to dip the peanut butter balls in, add some vegetable shortening into the chocolate to make it a bit thinner and easier work with.

Remove the peanut butter balls from the refrigerator, freezer or from outside. Place the peanut butter balls onto the tines of a fork. Lower the fork into the melted chocolate, making sure to coat all sides of the peanut butter balls. Tap the fork on the edge of the pan to shake off excess chocolate. Place the chocolate covered peanut butter ball on a sheet of wax paper and allow to cool until the chocolate is set. You can place them in the refrigerator, or outside to help the process go faster.  

Serve and enjoy