Chocolate and peanut butter is not a combination that needs improving, it just needed a keto version that actually delivers on both. These keto peanut butter balls give you a hard chocolate shell over a rich peanut butter center with five ingredients and no oven.
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I use salted butter in the filling on purpose, since the salt cuts through the richness instead of leaving the whole thing tasting flat and one-note.
These freeze well, so I usually keep a batch stashed for whenever the craving hits.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Peanut Butter Balls
Most no-bake peanut butter balls fall apart the second you try to dip them, because the filling never gets firm enough to hold its shape in warm chocolate. You end up with a peanut butter ball dissolving into your dipping bowl instead of staying intact.
Freezing the shaped balls for 30 minutes before dipping is what actually solves this. Do not skip that step even if you are in a hurry. A cold, firm center holds together when it meets warm melted chocolate, where a soft one just melts on contact.
The chocolate itself matters too. Melt it in a double boiler, not the microwave. Microwaved chocolate clumps and seizes more easily than chocolate melted gently over steam, and once that happens, there is no fixing it, only starting over. Look for a sugar-free chocolate chip that melts smoothly rather than one built mainly for baking, since not every sugar-free chocolate behaves the same way once it hits heat.
What You’ll Love About Peanut Butter Balls
- The chocolate shell actually stays hard instead of turning soft the moment it touches the peanut butter center.
- It only takes five ingredients and no oven, so this comes together faster than most keto desserts.
- These freeze well enough that a batch can sit ready for whenever a craving actually hits.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Peanut butter – I used dark roast peanut butter but use your favorite
- Powdered sweetener
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar-free milk chocolate or white chocolate chips – Or both!
How to Make Keto Peanut Butter Balls
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
In a bowl, blend together the melted butter with the peanut butter, low-carb powdered sweetener, and vanilla.
Spoon out 1-inch balls of the peanut butter dough and drop them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until they’re firm, but don’t let them freeze. When they’re hard, roll them into balls.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (a heat-proof bowl set over the top of a pot of simmering water.) See the FAQ section below for more tips on how to use a double boiler.
I used a 2-prong fork to dip these peanut butter balls into the chocolate, but you could use a fork, a skewer, or even a toothpick. Just be sure to remove the toothpicks afterwards!
Refrigerate the no-bake peanut butter balls until they’re firm and enjoy! The chocolate peanut butter balls will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for a week.
Make It A Meal
These are built for a dessert tray, so I keep them company with other no-bake treats. My Raspberry Frozen Cheesecake Bites and my Blueberry Keto Fat Bombs both round out a dessert spread well.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. These also freeze well for several months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge rather than at room temperature, since that limits how much condensation forms on the chocolate shell.
Frequently Asked Questions
A double boiler method uses steam to melt chocolate. Chocolate is very easy to burn, so I recommend a gentler method like this one.
If you don’t own a double boiler, you can stack a mixing bowl on top of a saucepan to create your own. You want the mixing bowl to fit snugly so it traps the steam, but make sure some steam can still escape so you don’t get a pressure build up.
The mixing bowl should be shallow enough that there are several inches between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the saucepan. That way, the chocolate won’t be right over the direct heat of the stove.
Add several inches of water to the saucepan, then stack the mixing bowl on top. Turn the stove to medium heat and add the chocolate to the mixing bowl. As the water begins to steam, it will gently melt the chocolate.
The amount of carbs and sugar in peanut butter balls will depend on the ingredients used. For example, if you’re eating low carb, you wouldn’t want to buy them from a shop that uses traditional chocolate made with sugar.
To keep your peanut butter balls keto, make sure you’re using keto-friendly chocolate like Lily’s or ChocZero and a low-carb sweetener. You also want to make sure there is no sugar added to your peanut butter.
Because peanuts are technically a legume, not a nut, some strict versions of keto don’t approve of eating peanut products. Whether or not you choose to incorporate them into your eating is entirely your choice. Personally, I think peanut butter is great for a keto diet when enjoyed in moderation!
Add Preferred SourceKeto Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter smooth, chunky, or dark roast
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar alternative
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar-free chocolate chips white or dark chocolate
Instructions
- In a bowl, blend together the melted butter with the peanut butter, low-carb powdered sweetener, and vanilla.
- Spoon out 1-inch balls of the peanut butter dough and drop them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until they're firm, but don't let them freeze. When they're hard, roll them into balls.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
- I used a 2-prong fork to dip these peanut butter balls into the chocolate, but you could use a fork, a skewer, or even a toothpick. Just be sure to remove the toothpicks afterwards!
- Refrigerate the no-bake peanut butter balls until they're firm and enjoy!
- The chocolate peanut butter balls will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for a week.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Freeze the shaped balls for the full 30 minutes before dipping. A soft center falls apart in warm chocolate instead of holding its shape.
- Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, not the microwave. Microwaved chocolate clumps and seizes far more easily.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
WANT EVEN MORE EASY KETO DIET RECIPES?
I’m always in the kitchen creating new recipes, and while some of them are big hits, I get some misses, too. But these are some of my favorite all-time recipes:
- Thick and luscious Salmon Chowder
- Grilled veggies – I love how versatile this recipe is!
- This amazing cauliflower dish
- Meaty sausage Parmigiana
These look simply amazing. Can’t wait to try them.
YUMMM! These are the perfect keto chocolate fix! Made a batch to put in the freezer and take out whenever I have a craving!
Definitely one to keep on hand! the salted butter in these makes me want more and more of them hehe
Oh my goodness..the butter is such a nice touch! These have the perfect combo of chocolate and PB flavors. They didn’t last more than a day here! 🙂
I loved every creamy bite of these!