Puffed rice crispies add a crackle in every bite and the flakes of sea salt on top can’t be skipped because it rounds up the flavor. Now you have all the reasons to make these for a quick grab when craving something sweet or a snack/lunchbox treat for kids
Peanut butter – Use natural unsweetened creamy peanut butter. Make sure to give the jar a good shake so that any oil-separated would mix well. Crunchy peanut butter should also work in a pinch.
You can use any other nut butter instead of Peanut butter, those will not be peanut butter balls anymore but the recipe will work.
Butter – Good quality unsalted butter. No need to thaw the butter, as we are going to microwave it.
Puffed rice cereal – Puffed rice cereal for the crackle. You can also use Rice Krispies and crushed cornflakes as a variation.
Powdered Sugar – To bind the peanut butter and also for sweetness. It is better to shift the sugar to get rid of any lumps.
Dark chocolate chips – For the outer coating. A good quality chocolate chip will make a huge difference. Dark chocolate will balance the sweetness of the peanut balls. You can also use milk or semi-sweet chocolate.
Vanilla extract – For flavoring.
Coconut Oil – To add to chocolate while melting. This gives a smooth finish.
Salt – Can’t be missed in any dessert.
First microwave peanut butter and butter until the butter is melted. It may take 1 minute. Microwave in 30 seconds burst. If the mixture is too hot after microwaving, then let it rest for 5-10 minutes before adding the next ingredients.
Then stir in vanilla extract, salt, shifted powdered sugar, and puffed rice cereals. Mix well. The mixture might feel a little sticky, so for easy shaping chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion easily. Scoop the mixture and shape it to a smooth round in between the palms.
For easy cleaning up line the sheet with parchment paper. Place the shaped peanut butter balls and chill in the refrigerator.
You can use the remaining chocolate to decorate the balls. Put the cooled melted chocolate in a piping bag and drizzle over chilled peanut butter balls.
In Freezer – Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. First, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then stack them in a freezer-friendly container, separating each layer with a piece of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
Breakfast cookies
