Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe is technically known in my family as Peanut Butter Eggs, since they are always made as an Easter Dessert. Because I dared to be different, and made these during the off season, they are now peanut butter balls! My husband loves all things peanut butter and chocolate, but this recipe is officially his favorite. He likes these better than even peanut butter cups!

According to family tradition, this recipe is supposed to be mixed by hand. And when I say by hand, I mean with your hands! No utensils or anything! But when you just got off work, and don’t feel like spending the whole night picking peanut butter out from under your nails, you can cheat and use a mixer. Just don’t tell my mom!

RECIPE: Peanut Butter Balls
Makes 5 Dozen or So

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Mixer
Scoop
Wax Paper
Pot or Double Boiler
Spoons or Forks
Fridge
Baking Sheets
or
Plastic Container

INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 Pound Margarine
1 teaspoon Vanilla
8 ounces Cream Cheese
2 Lbs Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar
18 ounces Peanut Butter (Smooth)
Bitter Sweet or Dark Chocolate
Paraffin Wax

DIRECTIONS:
1) If doing the hand method, add everything at once to a large bowl or bucket and continue mixing and squeezing the mixture until its all fully incorporated (Except the chocolate and paraffin wax of course!)
2) If doing the mixer method, cream together the cream cheese, margarine, peanut butter, and vanilla on low.
3) Slowly beat in the confectioners sugar on a low setting. If you do it on a high setting, you will turn your kitchen white with sugar.
4) Keep mixing until everything is fully incorporated and you have a mixture that vaguely reminds you of play dough. 
5) Use a cookie scoop to create even size balls of the peanut butter mixture. Lay these out on a baking sheet or in a plastic container covered in wax paper. As long as there is wax paper between each layer, you can stack these.
6) Chill the peanut butter balls either in the fridge or freezer.
7) In a pot or double boiler over low, melt together the chocolate and paraffin wax. You can do any type of chocolate you want, but you don’t want milk chocolate. Milk chocolate is not real chocolate and is unacceptable for this recipe!
8) Using spoons or forks, dip the peanut butter balls in the chocolate and evenly coat them before placing on wax paper.
9) Let dry and then store in the fridge or freezer. I like them in the freezer because the first bite into the almost frozen peanut butter is the best thing ever.

My mom is definitely better at chocolate work than I am, but I figured if I keep practicing my peanut butter balls will one day be as smooth and beautiful as hers. Also, I will admit that I sometimes eat these for breakfast because they are so tempting and delicious.