How To Make Peanut Butter Balls
Peanut butter balls were a staple in our school lunchrooms. Word got around fast on the day the lunch ladies were making them and we all looked forward to the single serving we got on our trays come noon meal. Single serving for everyone but my brother.
My brother, who never once passed up a chance to be unusually cruel to me, managed to singlehandedly wrap every one of the hair netted lunch ladies around his little finger. While we all surfaced with our single peanut butter ball, Bill waltzed to his table with at least three. Alright, so maybe he wasn’t always unusually cruel. He did let me be a backup singer when he was singing Buddy Holly, but that wasn’t my point here.
This is a great snack for children and grown ups alike. They are kept in ziploc bags in the freezer and when we manage to have any (they are eaten so fast!), I often see my husband or son coming back from the freezer with a handful at a time. Full of all sorts of goodness, its one snack that will not only tide your family over until you can finish up supper, but one you can feel good about letting them have.
Note about honey: If you have children under the age of two, substitute corn syrup as raw honey poses health risks.
I can go into why but don’t I go off on enough tangents as it is?
I make a LOT of these at a time so I need a dishpan.
Feel free to half this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 C honey or corn syrup
- 3 C creamy peanut butter
- 5 C dry milk powder
- 6 C quick oats
Instructions
- Mix all together with hand mixer. Form into balls with hands and freeze on waxed paper lined cookie sheets until hardened. Store in freezer in ziploc bags. (Makes about 100)
Nutrition
If my brother shows up, only let him have one. ~grins~
This is very simular to what I call “VBS Energy Balls”. I use maple syrup rather than honey, nonfat dry milk powder, chunk-style peanut butter, quick-cooking rolled oats, cornflakes and raisins. Great snacks for kids!!!
Wow, I’ve never had these. They look delicious and very kid-friendly. Is there anything that can be subbed for the powdered milk? I don’t normally buy it. I couldn’t believe how expensive a box of it was the last time I checked!
I’m sending this to my sister, she watches her grandchildren and I’m sure they would love these.
I love all your recipes and your stories. Keep up the good work.
Love these. My husband and I use Whey Protein instead of dry milk in our PB Balls. They are great for a quick breakfast or afternoon/midnight snack. 🙂
How much and what kind of “whey protein”?
Just made these and Mmmmm good! We did half “plain” and the other half we added dried cranberries. 🙂 The kids loved rolling them. 🙂 Can’t wait to surprise hubby when he comes in tonight. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe out on the kids in our schools cafeteria. I was looking for something I could make for them that would be healthy. My Grandma made peanut butter balls with raisins and they were sooo good!
Thanks!
Are these okay to leave out for a few weeks.. to use on hunting trip? thinking they would be a lot cheaper than buying packaged granola bars! boys only carry backpacks during day .
They need to be refrigerated but I have sent them on camping trips and such. They will be ok so long as they are kept cool, like in a cooler or something or if you plan to eat them that afternoon they will be fine for that day.