These no bake chocolate peanut butter balls feature a special ingredient—crushed pretzels—that give them a burst of saltiness and crunch. And with only 6 ingredients, they come together almost as quickly as they’ll disappear!
As the daughter of an Ohioan, I grew up making buckeyes every Christmas, without fail.
For the uninitiated, buckeyes are peanut butter fudge balls partially dipped in chocolate so that a circle of peanut butter peeks out. They get their name from their resemblance to nuts from the buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio.
Traditional buckeyes are super yummy but are made with loads of confectioners’ sugar, butter, and sometimes even melted paraffin wax (growing up, I had the dubious honor of grating the wax every time we made these).
Over the years, I have tinkered with our recipe, trying to make it healthier while still being addictively delicious. This variation is my current obsession.
These no bake chocolate peanut butter balls are not traditional buckeyes because they are completely blanketed in chocolate with no circle of peanut butter visible (although they can certainly be made to look like traditional buckeyes). I like this way better because (1) you get chocolate in every mouthful; and (2) you don’t have the fussy task of smoothing over the toothpick holes that are typically visible when you dip them partway—you just slap chocolate over them and call it a day.
I also adore this version because unlike traditional buckeyes, it contains pretzel crumbles. Yes, I realize that including pretzels deviates from my usual recipe approach, in which I am mindful of sodium intake and try to limit processed foods. But, I think there’s nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence. And for me, adding crunch and a bit of saltiness from the pretzels takes these no bake chocolate peanut butter balls over the top. I hope you enjoy them and that they become a tradition in your home too!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crowd-pleasing: If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you will love these! They are so dangerously delicious that if I’m bringing some to an event, I’ve learned from experience to make a double batch because half of them end up being devoured by my family before I even leave the house.
- Fuss-free prep: These no bake chocolate peanut butter balls only require 15 to 20 minutes of hands-on prep time, making them the perfect dessert when you want to make a special treat but your to-do list is a mile long.
- Kid-friendly: This recipe is a perfect activity if your kids like to help in the kitchen. Even the littlest ones can get in on the action by measuring ingredients, stirring the dough, rolling it into balls, and spooning chocolate over the top. And of course, acting as taste testers (spoiler alert: they will give them 2 big thumbs up)!
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter: The smoother and runnier, the better. Look for a variety without added salt and sugar, if available.
- Almond flour: Almond flour is gluten-free and adds a natural sweetness and structure.
- Thin pretzel sticks: I get the amount called for in this recipe by breaking the pretzel sticks roughly with my hands and adding them to a ⅓ cup measuring cup until they are level with the top. Then, I add that amount to a food processor to chop into smaller pieces.
- Maple syrup: A natural sweetener.
- Coconut flour: A high fiber, gluten-free flour that, when combined with the almond flour, creates a firm, balanced structure.
- Nondairy dark chocolate chips: Dark chocolate contains less sugar and more antioxidants than traditional chocolate. Always check the label to make sure the chocolate chips you are using are dairy-free.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a small food processor, pulse the pretzel sticks a few times to break them into smaller pieces (but not completely into dust). Alternatively, snap the pretzel sticks by hand or roughly chop them with a knife.
- Step 3: In a large bowl, stir the peanut butter, almond flour, pretzel sticks, maple syrup, and coconut flour until combined. The mixture will be slightly sticky, with a dough-like feel.
- Step 4: Roll the dough into balls roughly 1¼ inches in diameter. Place them on the prepared baking sheet or plate. You should end up with 12 balls. Transfer the baking sheet or plate to the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Step 5: In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Alternatively, melt the chocolate chips in a small pot on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Step 6: Remove the balls from the freezer, dunk them into the melted chocolate, and return them to the baking sheet or plate. The bottom half will be coated in chocolate, with a round section of the peanut-butter-and-pretzel filling exposed at the top. Stop here for traditional buckeyes, or use a spoon to scoop chocolate over the top of each ball, smoothing the edges to completely blanket it in chocolate. Return the baking sheet or plate to the freezer for another 10 to 20 minutes to firm up. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Substitution
To reduce the sodium amount, substitute an equal amount of crispy rice cereal for the crushed pretzels.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Small food processor (optional)
- Spoon
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet or plate
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Storage
Store no bake chocolate peanut butter balls in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. They may also be frozen for up to 1 month.
Top Tip
Poking a toothpick in the center of the balls can help you roll them in the chocolate without getting your hands messy. This is also the best way to make a nice, even circle with the chocolate if you want these to resemble traditional buckeyes—just be sure to smooth over the toothpick holes before serving.
Related
Looking for other dessert ideas? Try these:
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Equipment
- large bowl
- small bowl
- small food processor (optional)
- spoon
- parchment paper
- baking sheet or plate
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (see Note)
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup thin pretzel sticks (see Note)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (see Note)
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- ⅔ cup nondairy dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep: Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper.
- Crush the pretzels: In a small food processor, pulse the pretzel sticks a few times until they break into smaller pieces but are not ground completely into dust. If you don’t have a food processor, snap them into smaller pieces by hand or roughly chop them on a cutting board with a knife.
- Mix: In a large bowl, stir the peanut butter, almond flour, pretzel sticks, maple syrup, and coconut flour until combined. The resulting mixture will be slightly sticky, with a dough-like feel.
- Roll: Using your hands, roll the dough into balls roughly 1¼ inches in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheet or plate. You should end up with 12 balls.
- Chill (round 1): Transfer the baking sheet or plate to the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate: In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. For me, this takes between 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes. Alternatively, melt the chocolate chips in a small pot on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Dip: Remove the balls from the freezer and dunk them one at a time into the melted chocolate, then return them to the baking sheet or plate. The bottom half will be coated in chocolate, with a round section of the peanut-butter-and-pretzel filling exposed at the top. Stop here if you prefer these treats to resemble traditional buckeyes. For all the chocolate lovers out there, keep going! Use a spoon to scoop chocolate over the top of each ball and smooth the edges.
- Chill (round 2): Return the baking sheet or plate to the freezer for another 10 to 20 minutes to firm up. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Creamy, runny peanut butter works best with this recipe.
- I prefer 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, as I find it to be just sweet enough without being overpowering. Additionally, the resulting mixture is the perfect consistency for rolling into balls. If you prefer a sweeter taste, feel free to add up to 1 additional tablespoon of maple syrup. The mixture, however, will stick to your hands more, making it slightly more difficult to roll into balls.
- Any thin pretzel sticks will work—the key is to use a thin, delicate kind that can be easily snapped into smaller pieces by hand or with a food processor. I reached the ⅓ cup amount called for in this recipe by roughly breaking them into pieces with my hands and transferring them to a ⅓ cup measuring cup until they reached the top. Then, I chopped that amount in the food processor.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
