Peanut Butter Balls / Truffles

So, a friend made these for a church activity and showed everyone how simple and easy they were... then we all exchanged recipes.  I thought they were so addictive, and a few weeks later, more showed up at my door as a neighborhood Christmas gift.  I, embarrassingly enough, ate every single one of them and decided that I better pull out the recipe and make some more so Scott could at least taste one!  So yummy!

I have one leftover batch of chocolate from Christmas that I found in the freezer today, and so I think these little babies are going to make one more appearance in our house today... Then, hopefully I will have the will power to not make them again until next Christmas!

Peanut Butter Balls / Truffles

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 Tbl. butter, room temperature
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
8 oz. chocolate-flavored candy coating (almond bark) 

In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter and butter until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until completely combined (sort of a dough form, not too wet to roll into balls).  Shape into 1-inch balls, place on waxed paper, and let stand until dry. (I don't bother letting them dry because I am in too much of a hurry to get them in my mouth!)

Melt candy coating and let cool slightly. Dip balls one at a time into coating.  Let excess coating drip off. Place on waxed paper and let sit until coating is firm.  Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Tips: You can speed up the time it takes for the candy to be ready by placing the chocolate covered balls in the fridge or freezer to harden faster.  You can also use a fork to help scoop the balls out of the chocolate and then let the excess chocolate drip off the ball and fork back into the bowl before placing the ball on the wax paper.

The recipe says this makes about 30 balls, but that all depends on how large or small you want them. When I made them about doughnut hole sized, I got between 12-14.

****Update 2023****

This year I found that I got the prettiest dips when I used a toothpick to spear the truffles and then just dabbed some chocolate over the hole that the toothpick made. My biggest problem was the truffle being too soft and the toothpick wanting to tear through while I was tapping the excess chocolate off. I think this is why they often recommend freezing your truffles before you dip them because, not only will the chocolate harden faster instead of running off, but they will also hold up to the toothpick dipping better. Trying to use a fork, I have never had much success because it makes ugly fork tracks on the bottom/side of the ball. Perhaps freezing would help this problem too, but after this year's experience, I am going with freeze and toothpick dipping.