Peanut Butter Balls

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add up to ½ cup more sugar if necessary).

Roll the dough into 1-inch round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm. When ready to dip, melt the almond bark in a microwaveable bowl following package directions (usually about 90 seconds).

Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with a spoon, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. Allow the balls to cool and set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Cook’s note: If you want to make a really nice presentation for these, put each peanut butter ball in a festive mini cupcake liner (the red and green foil ones they put out at Christmas time are very pretty).

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Joy of Baking.