This is a classic and beloved Christmas candy that has been passed down for ages! The unsticky peanut butter dough is easy to roll, and a fancy cocktail pick makes dipping them easy.In this recipe, I use a combination of white almond bark and semisweet chocolate chips to create a no-temper chocolate coating with creamy flavor. However, you can simply use 4 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, melted, for the coating. Just be sure to melt the chips over low heat, or in a double boiler, to avoid overheating the chocolate. Overheated chocolate, when set, will develop a white film (fat bloom) which is harmless to eat and still tastes the same, it just doesn't look as fresh.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Mix them well on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down the bowl and mix again.
Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix on low speed until crumbly. When all of the sugar is used, the mixture should hold together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. If the mixture is too crumbly, add more peanut butter 1 tablespoon at a time. If too lax and sticky, add more powdered sugar.
Cover two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the mixture using a 3 teaspoon cookie scoop. Place them on the parchment paper and roll them into balls between your palms. Press tooth picks into the centers of each peanut butter ball. Transfer them to the freezer and chill on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes.
While you wait for them to freeze, prepare the chocolate coating. Chop the white almond bark into fine pieces and heat over a double boiler (or in the microwave) stirring until completely melted. Add the semisweet chocolate and stir until melted and incorporated into the almond bark.
Remove the candy from the freezer and dip each ball into the chocolate about 2/3 of the way so that they have the appearance of buckeyes. Return the dipped candies to the parchment paper and allow to stand until set, about 10 minutes.
Keyword creamy peanut butter, peanut butter balls, white almond bark