Peanut Butter Balls and More
Peanut Butter Balls and More
This post is all about homemade chocolate Christmas candy. The kind of delicious, homemade candy that is reserved only for the holidays. Peanut butter balls, haystacks, corn flake clusters, peanut clusters and white chocolate peppermint pretzels. Oh, and we don’t dare forget about the Queen of Christmas candy, Fudge! We have several recipes for fudge here on Turnips 2 Tangerines. Look in our recipe box for more recipes.
Four Recipes
This post contains four recipes. One recipe for: peanut butter balls, haystacks, corn flake clusters, white chocolate peppermint pretzels. All of the recipes are easy. The best way to make candy is to set up an assembly style work station. Have everything l lined up and ready. Make one batch of each ingredient at a time; coconut, corn flakes, peanuts and anything else you want to cluster. Make peanut butter balls and dipped pretzels, separately.
Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy
Making homemade candy is easy, peasy. Follow a these few simple steps and you’ll be a cluster making machine! Melt the chocolate; use a double boiler here, it’s still the best and only way to melt chocolate. Mix in the coconut, corn flakes, Spanish peanuts or whatever else you want to cluster. Stir and coat well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper lined large baking sheets. Fill one sheet at a time, working as quickly as possible. Set baking sheets outside or in a cool place to allow chocolate to set.
Outside Inside
If you live in a cold state like I do, then you are in luck. Set up a work station in your garage. Put some tables or saw horses with a sheet of plywood on top, in your garage. Cover with cotton backed, vinyl tablecloths and your good to go. Place clustered, filled baking sheets outside to allow the chocolate to set. When the chocolate has set up, store the chocolates between sheets of waxed paper in large, plastic containers. Ice cream pails work great for candy storing!
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 pounds milk chocolate, good quality chocolate
- sprinkles, optional
- sea salt, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream butter, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter and vanilla.
- Mix together well. Shape a teaspoonful of mixture into balls.
- Place balls on wax paper lined baking sheets. Chill for 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator.
- Melt dipping chocolate in a double boiler or medium microwaveable bowl on low until melted, stirring often.
- Using a fork, dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate, covering well.
- Tap fork against side of pan to remove excess chocolate.
- Place on wire cooling rack. Sprinkle tops with sea salt or sprinkle tops with sprinkles, if desired.
- Set aside in a cool place until chocolate is set.
Haystacks and Corn Flake Clusters
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dark or milk chocolate, melted (use a good quality chocolate)
- 1 14 to 16 oz package sweetened flaked coconut
- Corn Flakes Clusters
- 1 18 oz box Corn Flakes cereal
- 2 pounds milk chocolate, melted (use a good quality chocolate)
Equipment
- double boiler
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a medium microwavable bowl on low until melted.
- Stirring often and keep a watchful eye on chocolate.
- Add coconut and stir until well coated. (Adding more coconut or less if desired)
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto wax paper lined baking sheets.
- Set in a cool place to allow chocolate to set.
- Directions for Corn Flake Clusters
- Crush cereal.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a medium microwavable bowl on low until melted.
- Stirring often and keeping a watchful eye on chocolate.
- Add crushed cereal and stir until well coated. (Add more crushed cereal if necessary)
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto wax paper lined baking sheets.
- Set in a cool place to allow chocolate to set.
