#66) Bean’s Peanut Butter Bubbles ~ A Quick & Easy No-Bake Dessert

*Part of - Bean’s Baking - series

Attention Bakers: You will get TWO completely different desserts out of this recipe!
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I absolutely LOVE making my very own peanut butter balls. They are such a quick and easy no-bake dessert - perfect to go along with a large family gathering. Or a fabulous dish to bring along to a party, a holiday cookie exchange, as well as simply a little treat at home, that may, or may not, last all week long.

​And as y’all know what kind of crazy time period we have been living throughout the global pandemic. Plus the 24 hour news cycle endlessly discussing all things coronavirus… being in the kitchen, and making a homemade dessert, can be a thoroughly needed and recommended distraction with the current state of affairs throughout the globe. Honestly, I can’t remember enjoying the entire process of making homemade food as much I did with this dish. These peanut butter bubbles were a sincere and absolute joy to make.

But, there’s one more thing that I enjoyed even more than making them. And that was giving them all away. For the past few years of baking, I’ve tended to follow an informal rule that I imposed upon myself when making homemade desserts. And that is if I am going to bake, I am also going to share. So every time I now create a doughy and delicious treat, I make a point of passing along to neighbors, friends, co-workers, and lots of others who I am connected with in some way. For this batch of delicious treats, I brought them to work with me.

I made the treats at home on Holy Thursday, and they came to work with me on Good Friday. They were my Easter Goodies to share with everyone. And I think they went over well… At the end of my shift I went to grab my Tupperware to take home with me and every last Bubble was gone. Sooo happy indeed.
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The highest compliment any baker can receive is a completely empty serving platter.

I also brought along to work the painting I’ve attached below, as a gift to a coworker. A few days prior she had brought in little Easter goodie bags for every employee, complete with the traditional green grass, candy, and plastic egg. It immediately inspired me to paint this for her in return.

'A Perfect Pair'

I hope you enjoy making your very own batch of peanut butter bubbles. If you have little ones around the house, get them involved in the process. They can easily become dough rollers, chocolate dippers, or sprinkle spreaders. And in return, they’ll learn to love and appreciate the process of making homemade goodies.

As for me, I don’t have little ones in the house, but my little baker’s assistant diligently managed the entire process for me from the sidelines. 

So next time you are looking to turn off the news, and turn up the sweet fun, go ahead and position yourself in the kitchen. Open your pantry and pull out your jar of peanut butter, turn off the news - and turn on a podcast, and get baking. And don’t forget to share! ~

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter - your choice - salted or unsalted.
6 cups of confectioners sugar - powdered sugar.
I full jar of peanut butter - we mostly use Peter Pan Creamy.
1 large bag of Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips. For me, the chips melt quicker, easier and more thoroughly than full bars of chocolate.
1 tsp canola oil - or a bit more if needed, to help melt the chocolate.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
1/4 tsp salt.
Sprinkles - the miniature dot sprinkles work well here since the finished product is pretty small.
1 bag of pretzels - any shape - we used stick pretzels.

Directions:
-Dough-
Mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. I mix by hand. The dough will take a while to get the stickier consistency. Add ingredients in slowly.
Add butter - melt in the microwave if needed for roughly 20 seconds.
Place a large sheet of parchment paper onto a large baking tray.
Rolls into balls by hand.
Place peanut butter balls on the covered baking tray.
Keep balls separated.
After all balls are rolled, go ahead and slide the tray into the refrigerator. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Cool for roughly an hour or so.
Once dough is cooled, proceed with the final chocolate dipping stage of the process.

-Dipping In Chocolate-
Put 2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave - for 20 seconds.
Remove and stir.
Add canola oil to the chocolate.
Microwave again for 20 seconds.
Remove and stir.
Potentially microwave again for another 20 seconds - a third time repeating the process. Stir again. Until you get a liquidy, chocolate consistency.
Wait a few minutes for the chocolate to cool ever so slightly.
Start dipping each peanut butter ball into chocolate. Use a fork if necessary. Use a toothpick to slide the chocolate covered ball off the fork and back onto the parchment paper lined tray.
Sprinkle each ball immediately after coating in chocolate so that the sprinkles glue themselves on.
Place the completed Peanut Butter Bubbles back in the refrigerator for about an hour to cool off and solidify.
Share and enjoy!

Dessert #2
Chocolate Covered Pretzels:
You will most likely have leftover melted chocolate after you are finished with the above process. While all the ingredients are still out, and all the dishes are already dirty, now’s the time to pull out that bag of pretzels sitting in your pantry. Dip each pretzel into the chocolate - sprinkle if you want - and line up each dipped pretzel on a piece of parchment paper, same process as above.
Cool and enjoy this easy sweet and savory treat!
Share with the world - and enjoy. ~

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Author: 

Christine Pieper is an Artist and Lifestyle Blogger, living, writing, and painting in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with her hubby and eight year old puppy. She made a major life change in 2017 by uprooting and moving from Illinois to the Sunshine State, and has been living her best life in Florida since - detailing all her many and varied adventures living and traveling the Deep South to share with you. Her mission is to help you live YOUR best life - by getting out there, going for it, and making that big change you always dreamed of. Christine will inspire you to get over yourself, show up for yourself, and get out of your own way. The only one stopping you - is YOU.

To catch all of Christine’s Floridian Dreams, sign up your email below now.

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*Do you have a favorite go-to, quick dessert recipe that you use to bring along and share at parties? I’d love to know. Also, let me know if you make this recipe? Drop me a comment down below:

Plus - Here’s a few of my other dessert recipes to go ahead and check out:
30] Bean’s Sugar Cookie Recipe ~
25] Don’t Google It, Just Do It ~ Christine’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

And if you’re a big fan of spending time at home, and cooking homemade meals from scratch in the kitchen - I’ve got some fabulously delicious recipes for at-home dinners, right here:
58] Bean’s Corona Kickin’ Chicken
51] Life Is Full Of Pasta-Bilities ~ Bean’s Red Sauce Recipe
47] Bean’s Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnut Recipe ~ A Super Food For A Super Sunday
43] Bean’s Bold Beef Stew Recipe ~
38] The Year Of The Sweater ~ Bean’s Minestrone Soup Recipe
10] Bean’s Soulful Southern Chili

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