Best Vegan Peanut Butter Balls (Video)
Make this delicious vegan Peanut Butter Balls recipe, featuring creamy peanut butter filling topped with dark chocolate. These chocolate peanut butter balls make a satisfying treat perfect for holiday parties and all-year snacking! See my tips below for making these into gluten free peanut butter balls.
If you love vegan chocolate candy, be sure to make these vegan truffles. They’re so easy to make and delicious too! You’ll also want to try these vegan three muskateers too!
This is a family favorite recipe that I veganized, because it just had to be done. I call them the best dairy-free peanut butter balls because, well, they are the best!
This recipe is definitely a holiday favorite. Not only can you serve them on your dessert table, but these make wonderful addition to treat bags to share with friends, family, neighbors, work mates, etc.
The Best Peanut Butter Balls
This recipe for peanut butter balls has a higher peanut butter to powdered sugar ratio or HPBPSR (it’s an important ratio so it needs an acronym). It’s still sweet; just not as much as other recipes call for.
Just because we usually see them around the holidays doesn’t mean you can only serve them in December. You can also have these candy balls for Super Bowl parties, Wimbledon Parties and more.
Also, you can make vegan peanut butter chocolate balls recipes in different ways. Let me explain. I’ve created different versions based on my preferred outcome.
- This recipe for homemade Peanut Butter Balls, creates a creamy and soft middle with a crispy chocolate coating
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites – this is a very healthy version of the traditional peanut butter ball
- Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – and the healthy continues with these date-sweetened peanut butter centers. I made these into cups, but they could easily be done rolled into balls
Vegan peanut butter truffles are perfect to include in holiday baskets as gifts or even for parties!
We love this dessert so much we made a peanut butter balls video too! How fun!
How to Make Peanut Butter Balls
If you’ve been asking: how do you make peanut butter balls, well, I’ve got the answer. And it’s based upon years and years of experience!
Let’s start with the ingredients. First, you’ll need peanut butter, vegan butter, and powdered sugar.
Make Peanut Butter Filling
To make the peanut butter filling, add the peanut butter and the vegan butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. I like to heat it up for 30 seconds up to a minute or so to get the peanut butter a little bit softer so it’s easy to stir. Add the powdered sugar and stir to combine.
Then, place the bowl in the fridge to firm the peanut butter up. Because, you want it soft to stir, but it’s nicer for it to be firmer for shaping into balls.
Make Peanut Balls
Once the filling has firmed up, make them into balls. I was able to make around 120 balls from this recipe. It depends on the size you make them and possibly how much of the batter you eat as you’re making them. It’s very tempting!
Place the balls on the tray and return the tray to the fridge to firm them up again.
Dip them in Chocolate + Set
To make these chocolate balls, combine the dark chocolate with coconut oil and heat in 30-second increments in the microwave until the chocolate has melted. Stir to combine.
Cover a tray with waxed paper. Then use a fork to dip the no bake peanut butter balls in chocolate. Transfer dipped balls to the tray with waxed paper. Once all the balls have been dipped, place the tray in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
Storing Peanut Butter Balls
Once the chocolate is set, transfer the balls to an airtight container or freezer bags. These will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Expert Tips
Here are some ideas to help you can make this recipe the very best and even some ideas on how to adapt it too:
- Add a cup or so of graham cracker crumbs to the batter
- My friend adds rice crispies to the dough for a crispy crunchy touch
- Try using chunky peanut butter
- Reduce the powdered sugar for a less sweet version
- I’ve even made fig-sweetened peanut balls if you’d like a processed sugar free version
- Add a little rum or vanilla to the dough!
Make them fast
Making peanut butter balls is a multi-step process, which can seem time-consuming, but there are ways to make them faster. Read my guide on How to Make Peanut Butter Balls.
Here are some of my favorite tips for making peanut butter balls faster:
- After you make the peanut butter batter, refrigerate it for 20 – 30 minutes to help it firm up. Then use a cookie dough scoop to create evenly sized balls. Actually, my cookie dough scoop creates approximately 1″ balls, so I divide that ball in half. I prefer my peanut butter balls smaller.
- Once you’ve rolled all the balls, transfer them to the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- When the peanut butter balls are chilled, heat up half the chocolate. I use a microwave to melt the chocolate in a pyrex measuring cup.
- Drop peanut butter balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate and use a fork to remove the ball from the chocolate, tapping it gently to allow excess chocolate to fall back into the melted chocolate. Repeat until you’re out of melted chocolate.
- Transfer the pan to the freezer while you melt the remaining half of the chocolate.
- Follow the steps above to dip the remaining chilled peanut butter balls.
- The pan that was in the freezer should have set by now. The peanut butter balls should come off the waxed paper easily. If they don’t, then place them back in the freezer or the fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
- Transfer the finished balls to a sealed container or freezer bag.
Following these steps can help streamline the process for making your peanut butter balls. You can make the peanut butter balls and keep them in the freezer or fridge for days before dipping them.
I’m not the greatest cook so I wasn’t expecting it to be good but it turned out great. Hard to find good vegan recipes online but this is definitely one.
Zee, reader comment
Reader Question: What type of peanut butter do you use?
I do not recommend natural peanut butter (the kind with the oil on the top that has to be stirred) for this recipe. This type of peanut butter is too runny. I prefer the creamy, homogenized peanut butter.
I made some for my church members and they loved it. I’m making another batch this weekend and I’m using SWERVE Confectioners substitute sugar in place of regular powdered sugar.
Crystal, reader comment
Can you make Keto Peanut Butter Balls?
It’s easy to make Keto Peanut Butter Balls. Simply use Swerve or any zero calorie powdered sugar combined with the peanut butter.
How do you make the peanut butter balls round?
Make sure the dough is chilled before you start rolling the dough into balls. It helps to roll the balls twice to get those perfect shapes. The first roll go for a uniform size and roundness. Place them back in the fridge to let them firm up. The second roll is where you get that perfectly round shape.
If you’re into chocolate and peanut butter, you know, together, be sure to check out my Vegan Fluffy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, or how about these Vegan Peanut Butter Cups, and don’t forget these Peanut Butter Energy Balls!
I hope you love this recipe as we do! Have you tried it? Be sure and leave a comment and a rating of this recipe below and then take a quick photo and share it with me using #namelymarly on Instagram. I love seeing your creations!
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 3 cups peanut butter softened
- 1 cup vegan butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Stir together peanut butter and butter until well blended. Add powdered sugar. It can help to microwave the mix for 20 – 30 seconds.
- Refrigerate the peanut butter mix until it's firm enough to roll into balls. Remove from the fridge and roll into bite-size balls. Place the balls on a tray. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or so.
- Stir chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Place a lid on it and set aside for a minute. The chocolate should be melted. Stir until well blended and smooth.
- Line a cookie sheet or tray with waxed paper. Dip peanut butter balls in the chocolate using a fork so you can tap off excess chocolate. Place chocolate covered balls on prepared tray. You can line them up pretty close to one another, just not touching. Once all the balls are coated, place the tray in the fridge to speed up the chocolate setting.
- Once the chocolate is fully set, transfer to an airtight container. These will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer up to 2 months.
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
If you’re into vegan chocolate and peanut butter concoctions, check these out:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge by Cookie + Kate
- Look at these Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites by yours truly!
34 Responses to Best Vegan Peanut Butter Balls (Video)
Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hi, I’m Marly!
Marly is a certified as both a Plant-Based Pro and Vegan Dessert Expert. Come enjoy Marly’s amazing easy vegan recipes for yourself! At Namely Marly we love celebrating life, creativity, healthy living and energetic days! Meet Marly
Our cookbook is now available!
Makes a great gift for your favorite vegan!
Click below:
I love peanut butter balls! I’m not kidding. I ate so many of them at a baby shower my family threw for me that I literally couldn’t even smell peanut butter without feeling nauseous for a good year afterward. But now? Not a problem. Will be making them. Soon. Very soon. =)
Mindy
http://www.thesuburbanlife.com
Time heals all wounds…
Oh yum! Yeah, I greatly prefer desserts that are flavorful rather than just sweet. And thanks for commenting on my blog!
Hi Mimi. I think sweet is one of those that you can adjust your taste buds about. For example, after I became vegan I gave up milk chocolate. I didn’t really like dark chocolate then, but now I love it. Hope you like the recipe!
Hmmmm… peanut butter and chocolate, you can’t go wrong!
I agree so much. I think you can’t hardly go wrong with the two together. Well, actually, chocolate goes with just about everything. Yesterday I made chocolate covered pomegranate seeds. Interesting, eh? I may have to put that on the site as well.
Try adding a handful of rice krispies to the peanut butter. It gives them a lovely crunch!
[…] Source […]
Hi Marly_Wahoo! Chocolate snack I can be proud of-thx. I want 2 try it with dates instead of sugar; how much shd I use? Ur the gr8st!
Hi Sandy! I actually made peanut butter balls with figs! I went through a phase where I was all about dried figs! I love the flavor they add, especially with peanut butter. Oh, who am I kidding. I love everything with peanut butter. 🙂 Anyway, here’s my recipe for Peanut Butter Balls with Figs — it calls for 1 cup of dried figs and I think you could do the same with dates as well.
Hi! I’m trying to do this recipe for my bff’s birthday and I don’t have one of the ingredients which is coconut oil. Can I replace it with olive oil?
Loved the entire post, btw
Hi Marianne. I have not tried making this recipe with olive oil and I can’t guarantee that the peanut butter balls would turn out with a firm chocolate coating. That’s what I’m going for with my vegan peanut butter balls! If I didn’t have coconut oil, I would probably try vegetable shortening or vegan butter before trying adding an oil. That’s because both shortening and vegan butter are more firm at room temperature. You could try not adding anything, but then the texture could be a little too crispy. I hope this is helpful information! Let me know how it goes!
This looks like the perfect recipe to make this Christmas! Thanks 🙂
Thanks, Maria! I agree!!
Amazing!
I’m not the greatest cook so I wasn’t expecting it to be good but it turned out great. Hard to find good vegan recipes online but this is definitely one. I personally found it a little hard to transfer the balls since it was a little runny to begin with, but after I froze them it worked. Any tips for making the balls more round and nice-looking? Tasted great but mine are misshaped! Lol!
Hi Zee. First…I LOVE your name! You won’t believe this, but I’m writing a novel and one of my characters goes by the nickname Zee! Anyway, here’s how I make peanut butter balls in nice shapes. Make sure the “dough” is chilled first and the first time through I just try to get a uniform size and roundness. Then I refrigerate those to firm them up. And then I do another round of shaping them. It works and I just watch a show or something while I’m doing that so it goes by really quickly. So glad you liked this recipe. It’s one of my favs!!
Hi! I’m going to try to make these as a Christmas gift for a vegan friend of mine. What type of peanut butter do you use – I assume all natural (i.e., not Kraft)? Thanks!
Great question, Christine! And I adapted the recipe to add a note to show my answer. But basically I do not recommend natural peanut butter (the kind with the oil on the top that has to be stirred) for this recipe. I find it to be a little too runny. I prefer the creamy peanut butter. When I say “creamy” peanut butter, I’m referring to the “Skippy” style that is very smooth and no oil that has risen to the top. Now, most brands have a “natural” version of creamy peanut butter, oftentimes made with reduced sugar. That would work too, as long as it’s creamy. I usually just buy the store brand, el cheapo peanut butter and it works great! BTW, your vegan friend is so lucky to have a friend like you! ❤️
Hi! Do you know whether or not these freeze well?
Can’t wait to try them, they look amazing.
I LOVE freezing these, Marisa! In addition to freezing really well, they also taste really good frozen!
Hi
I made these and used peanut butter made directly from peanuts from a machine. They turned out great but I wanted to know would you recommend continuing to use type of peanut butter or should I get the store brand skippy style as you suggested above ?
I made some for my church members and they loved it. I’m making another batch this weekend and I’m using SWERVE Confectioners substitute sugar in place of regular powdered sugar.
Also I noticed they have to stay refrigerated or frozen or they soften and is that your experience as well?
Thank you
Hi Crystal. So glad you liked this recipe! Hey, I like to say if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. That said, the reason they’re getting soft is probably because of the ground peanut butter. If you don’t mind keeping them refrigerated then I’d say keep it the same. But if you’d like a “stiffer” peanut butter ball, then buying the smooth peanut butter at the store may do the trick! You could also add something like a cup of ground graham crackers and that would help make the balls made from ground peanut butter a little firmer. Happy holidays!
They are delicious
[…] Best Vegan Peanut Butter Balls from Namely Marly […]
How long will these last in the fridge or freezer after making them?
They will last in the fridge for up to a week, possibly even two. You can freeze them for up to 2 – 3 months. Personally? I really love having them in the freezer and eating them after letting them sit for just a couple of minutes. So good!
Can I use regular vegan butter instead of margarine?
Vegan butter works great with this recipe.
I used the 5 cups of sugar like you suggested to and they came out way too sugary. Why do you suggest so much sugar?
Hi Ellie. I think sweetness is one of the most variable tastes. That’s one of the reasons I mentioned in the post that you can reduce the sweetness if you prefer something less sweet. In fact, I even have a link to different variations of peanut butter ball recipes with different variations of sweetener, some even using natural sweeteners like dates. I appreciate your comment and will be sure to add a note to remind people to play around with the amount of sugar used.
I love these! I didnt use any sweetener as I used 70 percent dark chocolate that is already pretty sweet to me !
Thank you for sharing your recipes . Make it a Vegan Year !
So easy to make, and delicious! My kids and I cannot stop eating them! Thank you for sharing!
I feel the same way Suzanne! When I have them in the fridge (or even better, in the freezer), I am constantly dipping in to grab one or two…or more! Recently I made the peanut butter filling with Swerve powdered sugar and it was really good too!