Kids in the Kitchen: Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Do you love holiday baking and cooking for friends? Are your holidays as busy as ours?

Between now and the middle of January we have Trevor’s birthday, my goddaughter’s birthday, Thanksgiving, my birthday, my mom’s birthday, Advent, Christmas {and holiday parties}, New Year’s, Isaac’s birthday, and my dad’s birthday.

Are you tired, yet? I am.

We have the busiest two months of our year, so it’s easy to lose sight of all that we have to be thankful for and slow down to focus on the day to day fun of the season. But there is so much to enjoy during the holiday season, and I try really hard to remember that and make it special for the kids.

One way I do that is by letting them experiment — and become an expert at — something in the kitchen.

Molly has become an expert at making these gorgeous no-bake peanut butter balls.

And, really… how can you go wrong with something that is made with butter, peanut butter, crispy rice cereal, and chocolate? And that your kids can make for you?

The recipe is really simple. Measure out the following ingredients:

1 pound of powdered sugar {yep… ONE POUND!}
2 cups of peanut butter
3 cups of crispy rice cereal, crushed
1 stick of butter

Mix all of the ingredients in a big bowl or on medium speed with a mixer. {Molly used a big bowl, a spatula, and then her hands.} Once all of the ingredients are incorporated together, scoop balls out with a cookie scoop and roll into balls. Put them on parchment paper and chill for a half an hour.

While the balls are chilling, melt the chocolate coating:

1 bag of semi-sweet morsels
1/2 stick of butter

Put the chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until the chips start melting and the butter is very soft. Then stir it until it is smooth. Then dip your chilled peanut butter balls in the chocolate. Molly used a fork to hold the ball and spooned chocolate over the top.

Put these covered peanut butter balls on the parchment and chill again.

Melt your white chocolate garnish the same way you did the semi-sweet chips, except use 1/2 bag of white chocolate chips and no butter. Spoon the white chocolate in a baggie, close it, and cut the tip of the baggie. Drizzle white chocolate over the chilled balls and chill again.

Arrange them in festive mini muffin papers on a plate, and you have a super-simple no-bake holiday treat. What are your {or your kids’} go-to holiday baking treats?