#98) Peanut Butter Bombs

An extra-large version of an old favorite!

Do you remember when I told you how much my fam jam and I love any and all peanut butter combos in this post right here?  Well, I wasn't lying...  And no matter how much we all enjoy the new creations we dream up and create, we do have an old favorite that we keep going back to again and again and again - Peanut Butter Balls.  I have made that recipe so often that over time I've gotten it just right ;) but that's not to say there's no room for improvement!

In previous stabs at this delectable little concoction I've managed to find the best ingredients, proportions, and methods to get the best result, but there's something to be said for the old adage "bigger is better."  I normally use 1 tablespoon of peanut butter filling for these guys, but this time around I opted for an ice cream scoop, upping the filling to 1/4 cup!

The reaction from most taste-testers was two big thumbs up, but one of them, who shall remain nameless in the hopes of avoiding any persecution for the forthcoming opinion, did think they were too big and the amount of filling was a little too much of a good thing... I will respectfully disagree haha :)

Ingredients

2 cups smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup puffed rice cereal

1/4 tsp salt

2 - 2 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

2 tbsp shortening

14 salted peanuts

Steps

- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, and vanilla.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Stir to combine.
- Stir in puffed rice cereal and salt.
- Add icing sugar in stages until filling reaches dough-like consistency.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Using an ice cream scoop (1/4 cup), scoop filling onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.  This recipe made 14 for me.  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
-  Remove scoops from freezer and set aside while you melt together chocolate and shortening in double boiler.
- Using two forks, dip each scoop into chocolate and place back on the parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Place one salted peanut on top of each scoop right after its been dipped.
- Using your fork and the remaining melted chocolate, add some decorative chocolate splatter on top of the peanut butter bombs.
- Let chocolate set and serve :)