If there’s one treat that deserves a permanent spot on the Christmas dessert table, it’s Christmas Peanut Butter Balls! Creamy, sweet peanut butter filling is rolled into bite-sized balls, dipped in rich melted chocolate, and decorated with festive Christmas sprinkles.
These little treats are incredibly easy to make, require no baking, and are perfect for Christmas parties, cookie trays, homemade gifts, and holiday movie nights. If you love the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, you’ll definitely want to save this recipe!
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Peanut Butter Balls
There’s a reason peanut butter balls are such a popular old-fashioned Christmas candy. They’re simple, delicious, and easy to make ahead during the busiest time of the year.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s:
- No-bake – no need to turn on the oven!
- Easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Perfect for Christmas cookie trays and dessert platters.
- Great for gifting to friends, neighbors, teachers, and coworkers.
- Make-ahead friendly for stress-free holiday entertaining.
- Easy to decorate with Christmas sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, or crushed candies.
And, of course, chocolate + peanut butter is pretty hard to beat!
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these easy Christmas peanut butter balls.
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups chocolate melting wafers or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or shortening, optional
- Red, green, and white Christmas sprinkles
Optional Decorations
Make your peanut butter balls extra festive with:
- Crushed candy canes
- Holiday nonpareils
- Red and green sanding sugar
- White chocolate drizzle
- Milk chocolate drizzle
- Christmas-themed sprinkles
How to Make Christmas Peanut Butter Balls
Step 1: Make the Peanut Butter Filling
Add the peanut butter and softened butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat together until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing until a thick dough forms. The mixture should be soft enough to roll but firm enough to hold its shape.
Step 2: Roll Into Balls
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture at a time and roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball.
Place each peanut butter ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
You should get approximately 30–36 peanut butter balls, depending on how large you make them.
Step 3: Chill
Place the peanut butter balls in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes, or until firm.
Don’t skip this step! Chilling makes them much easier to dip into the warm chocolate without falling apart.
Step 4: Melt the Chocolate
Place the chocolate melting wafers or chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted and smooth.
If you’re using chocolate chips, stir in about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or shortening to help create a smoother consistency for dipping.
Step 5: Dip the Peanut Butter Balls
Using a fork or dipping tool, lower each chilled peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate.
Make sure the entire ball is coated, then gently lift it from the chocolate and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.
Place it back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Decorate!
While the chocolate is still wet, immediately add your Christmas sprinkles.
This is where you can have some fun! Use red and green sprinkles for a classic Christmas look, or drizzle the finished peanut butter balls with white chocolate for a pretty bakery-style finish.
Step 7: Let Them Set
Allow the chocolate coating to completely harden.
You can leave the peanut butter balls at room temperature to set or place them in the refrigerator for about 15–20 minutes to speed things up.
Then they’re ready to enjoy!
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Balls
Use regular creamy peanut butter. Traditional shelf-stable peanut butter works best because natural peanut butter can separate and make the filling too oily.
Don’t skip chilling the filling. Cold peanut butter balls are much easier to coat in chocolate.
Add the sprinkles quickly. Chocolate can set surprisingly fast, especially when you’re dipping cold peanut butter balls.
Make them uniform. A small cookie scoop makes it easy to create evenly sized peanut butter balls.
Don’t overheat your chocolate. Short microwave intervals and frequent stirring will help keep the chocolate smooth.
Fun Christmas Decorating Ideas
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize.
For a classic Christmas look, cover the chocolate peanut butter balls with red, green, and white sprinkles.
For a snowy Christmas look, use white chocolate and sparkling sugar.
For a peppermint chocolate version, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the chocolate before it sets.
You could even divide the batch and make several different designs. They’ll look gorgeous arranged together on a Christmas dessert platter!
Can I Make Christmas Peanut Butter Balls Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! In fact, this is a great Christmas candy to make ahead.
Prepare the peanut butter balls, dip them in chocolate, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them.
They’re especially convenient if you’re preparing several Christmas desserts and don’t want to make everything at the last minute.
How to Store Peanut Butter Balls
Store your Christmas peanut butter balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 weeks.
For best results, separate layers with parchment or wax paper so the chocolate coatings don’t stick together.
You can let them sit at room temperature for several minutes before serving if you prefer a softer peanut butter center.
Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Balls?
Yes!
Christmas peanut butter balls freeze beautifully, which makes them even better for holiday meal prep.
Place the finished balls in a freezer-safe airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Christmas Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 30–60 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Servings: Approximately 30–36 balls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups chocolate melting wafers or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or shortening, optional
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Beat the peanut butter and softened butter together until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until a thick dough forms.
- Roll the mixture into approximately 1-inch balls.
- Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate in 20–30 second microwave intervals, stirring frequently.
- Stir in coconut oil or shortening if needed.
- Dip each peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate.
- Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Immediately decorate with Christmas sprinkles.
- Allow the chocolate to completely set before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Approximate nutrition per peanut butter ball (based on 36 servings):
- Calories: 190
- Total Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 19g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 60mg
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands, chocolate, decorations, and serving size used.
Perfect for Christmas Cookie Trays & Homemade Gifts
These easy Christmas Peanut Butter Balls are one of those holiday recipes you’ll find yourself making year after year. The creamy peanut butter center and rich chocolate coating make them taste like homemade peanut butter cups — but the festive Christmas sprinkles make them perfect for the holidays.
Add them to a Christmas cookie box, bring them to a holiday party, or package a few in a cute Christmas tin for an easy homemade gift.
Final Thoughts
Christmas baking doesn’t always have to involve baking!
These no-bake Christmas Peanut Butter Balls are simple enough to make on a busy December afternoon but festive enough to deserve a spot on your Christmas dessert table. They’re creamy, chocolatey, perfectly peanut buttery, and incredibly easy to customize for the holidays.
Make a batch for your family — or make two, because these little chocolate peanut butter treats have a funny way of disappearing from the refrigerator!
Save this Christmas Peanut Butter Balls recipe for later, and don’t forget to share it with someone who loves chocolate and peanut butter!
I hope you enjoyed learning about how to make these delicious Christmas peanut butter balls! If you liked this one, you should check out my Classic Apple Pie recipe and the rest of my blog. If you have any questions, please contact me at: [email protected]