Peanut butter truffles dipped in melted chocolate with a sprinkling of sea salt and crushed peanuts on top. This recipe is entirely no bake, and naturally gluten free; you will love this recipe for easy gift-giving, a sweet snack, or for a homemade Valentine's Day treat.
Peanut butter truffles
Every year, I was write my list of Valentine's Day desserts for two ideas, a recipe for 'chocolate-peanut butter something' always makes the list. The idea is never fully fleshed out, only a clear craving for some kind of variation on the power couple that is chocolate and peanut butter.
These chocolate peanut butter truffles were meant to be before I even finished the full thought process. They're like Reese's peanut butter cups, but they have a higher peanut butter to chocolate ratio, which in my opinion, is even better!
I love that this recipe is a small batch recipe; it only makes 10 truffles. You can double it, of course, but I think ten truffles is the perfect serving size for such a rich recipe.
Ingredients
- peanut butter: You need ½ cup of peanut butter; preferably, the natural style peanut butter that only has a few ingredients. Don't use the kind that needs to be stirred or has the oil separated out on top.
- powdered sugar
- butter: Unsalted or salted butter are both totally fine here. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe. If you use unsalted butter, include the ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Be sure to let it soften at room temperature for at least a few hours.
- salt
- vanilla extract
- dark chocolate: These peanut butter truffles have a thin chocolate shell, and I like to use dark chocolate. You can use milk chocolate, but know that the shell will be slightly softer. Dark chocolate yields a crisp shell.
- coconut oil: Just a teaspoon of coconut oil to help the chocolate melt. When cold, the coconut oil is firm and creates a crisp shell coating.
- chopped peanuts: Just for garnish. You can also garnish with an extra sprinkle of a big flaky sea salt, like Maldon.
How to make peanut butter truffles:
- Gather your ingredients: peanut butter, powdered sugar, softened butter, salt, dark chocolate, coconut oil, and any garnishes you want for the truffles.
- Place the peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, salt and vanilla and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until smooth and creamy. If the mixture feels overly soft, place it in the freezer to firm up enough to be able to scoop it into balls.
- Using a small cookie scoop, form 10 balls of dough. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
- Place the truffles in the freezer to make them very cold. This helps the chocolate shell instantly harden when they're dunked.
- While the truffles freeze, melt the chocolate. Combine the chopped dark chocolate in a bowl with the coconut oil. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power. Do 30 second intervals in the microwave, stopping and stirring between each 30 second pulse. You can remove the chocolate from the heat before it's fully melted, and let the residual heat melt everything.
- Once the chocolate and coconut oil mixture is smooth, remove the peanut butter truffles from the freezer. Use a fork to quickly dunk them in the chocolate, and then place them back on the same pan from the freezer.
- Immediately after dunking, sprinkle any garnishes on top of the truffles, if you like. I like chopped peanuts and extra sea salt.
- Place the truffles back in the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes, or up to a few days in advance before serving.
Can you freeze peanut butter truffles?
Yes, you can keep these truffles in the freezer at two different steps of making the recipe. First, you can freeze the peanut butter truffles before dunking in chocolate for up to one month in an air-tight storage container. Or, you may freeze the finished product in an air-tight container for up to one month as well. I would hold off on the chopped peanuts as garnish if they're going to be frozen in their final state, just so they don't become soft when they thaw.
Other truffles to make:
Peanut Butter Truffles
Peanut butter truffles with crushed peanuts and flaky sea salt sprinkled on top. Makes a small batch of just 10 truffles.
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons (42 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon flaky salt
For the coating:
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- For garnish: chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture together. If the butter is too soft, the mixture will be a bit too wet, so just freeze it for 20 minutes before proceeding, if so.
- Scoop out 10 balls of dough, and place them on a small baking sheet lined with wax paper or a silicone mat.
- Place the peanut butter balls in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- While the peanut butter truffles are in the freezer, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together either by using a double boiler, or by using the microwave. To melt the chocolate in the microwave, place the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl, and microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Remove the balls from the freezer, and using a fork or chocolate candy tool, dunk each into the chocolate. The best way to do this is to drop the truffle in, very quickly roll it around, and then lift it back up to drain. The excess chocolate should drain between the fork tines or from the candy tool.
- Place the truffles into the fridge to set for at least 5 minutes before serving. These truffles are still soft even when frozen, because they are so rich.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 194Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 185mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g
Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss says
Oh hello there beautiful chocolate and peanut butter hearts! I love the chunky salt addition--always welcome with chocolate. Good luck on the house--I haven't had to experience any of that yet but it always looks so stressful on TV :( but I'm sure there's nothing PB hearts can't cure!
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health says
this is going to happen all year long!!! thank you sharing :) we have started the house hunting process on the internet so far and im already overwhelmed.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
Hang tough on the house ---and good luck! If you don't get this one, a better one is around the corner --- and you can console yourself with peanut butter hearts :)
Shawnna says
hey girl great post! Good luck with the house! hope you get it! And the peanut butter hearts look yummy!
Wendy says
Are these to be stored in the fridge after being assembled or are they room temperature stable?
devona says
Mmm...peanut butter and chocolate! Good luck with the house hunting!!
Alicia says
ohhmaagaaaaaaa - pb and chocolate are THE perfect flavour combo - valentine's day or anytime. that mold is super cute too! I wish i could shove pb hearts in my face right. now.
nancy K says
Hope you gget/ot the house. You will have a blast doing a kitchen renno. It is so much fun designing exactly what you want and seeing it come to life.If it all goes down, I look forward to followingto the possibility you will share it her on the blog.
Happy Heart Day!
Jen says
These look so good, I think I might need to double the recipe! Peanut butter cups never last long around our house and the bf and I are always argue over who gets the last one. Good luck on the house - we just went through the whole process last year in Seattle and its stressful - but everything will all work out in the end and you'll find the house that's meant for you!
Kelly says
These look amazing- definitely going to console my single heart with these this Valentines Day! Good luck on the house!!