Satisfy Your Peanut Butter Cravings with Peanut Butter Balls
I have a major peanut butter addiction. Sure, other nut butters are all the rage, and marketed as healthier, but I just want peanut butter! I want it creamy and salty. That’s it. No added sugar. When it comes to desserts, however, bring on the sweetness! Since I’m such a PB fiend, I thought I’d try this recipe from the 1967 Pillsbury’s Bake-Off Cookie Book 
The vintage recipe calls for chopped walnuts, but I substituted puffed rice cereal for a little crunch. My husband hates nuts in desserts, and truthfully I’m not a big fan of walnuts. I also decided to use some seasonal sprinkles and dye the coconut to give it a little more Easter flare. Dying the coconut it easy: Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded coconut in a baggie, add a drop of food coloring to the bag, and massage it into the coconut.
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (the original recipe called for quick oats but I used regular)
- 2/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup puffed rice cereal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- flaked coconut (about 1 1/2 cups)
- In a large saucepan combine the sugar, flour, butter, and milk.
- Bring to a full boil and boil hard for three minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and add the oats, peanut butter, puffed rice cereal, salt and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
- Let sit about 10 to 15 minutes to firm up slightly
- Drop teaspoons (about 1.5″ in diameter) onto parchment or waxed paper and allow to cool. After a few minutes, you can also form into more symmetrical balls by rolling in your hands.
- Top with coconut. Add some sprinkles if you like.
I had a really hard time getting the coconut to stick to the balls, so I basically just decorated the tops. Despite these frustrations, I liked this recipe. They are sweet, very rich, and easy to make. But then again, I love anything with peanut butter.
Okay, I know you’ve been internally snickering. You now have my permission to make ball jokes.
They look really pretty!
Thank you!
So pretty and Eastery! I love Peanut Butter desserts, too!
Thanks! Peanut butter is the best!