Peanut Butter Balls Recipe

One of our favorite treats to make during Christmas is Grandma’s Peanut Butter Balls. I remember sitting with my mother in law, Terry,  in her front room. It was late at night and the fire was going. We were talking about her mom Marylee. We both shared a special memories tied to food or smells. I find it amazing that simple things can trigger memories and remind us of good times. She shared how her mom always made Peanut Butter Balls every Christmas. I told her we needed a new tradition. We would gather as women in our family and make these treats. Perfect way to help bring a family together. We can keep that connection to her mom and teach our own children about her. And I love when women get a chance to spend quality time together. There is such strengthen when we gather together and reinforce those bonds. Even though I didn’t have a daughter at that time I was really excited to spend time in the kitchen with my nieces and my sister in laws.

I picked two other recipes to add to our candy making night: The Idea Room’s English Toffee and House and Hone’s Caramels. I love teaching my nieces little tricks or testing their math skills as we measure ingredients. And there are great life lessons as you patiently stir caramel. I love working and visiting in the kitchen with the girls in my family. And this year we didn’t travel to California like we usually do. But when I saw Terry would be here the first weekend in December we made plans to make candy that Sunday after church.

I was happy to capture this special time when my mother in law was teaching her granddaughter her mother’s recipe. My husband’s grandma past away the year before my oldest was born. I am glad we have this recipe to share with our children. I learned that night by the fire that my husband’s sweet cousin Marina made those peanut butter balls every Christmas. She was especially close to Grandma. And she was sweet enough to give me Grandma’s recipe. I hope her own daughter keeps that tradition going in their family as well. I have really enjoyed starting this tradition with my own daughter.

I am sure thankful we have Kitchen Aid in our day. I am sure it was a lot harder to combine those ingredients back when Grandma made those treats. I am also thankful for my silicone baking mats for my baking pans. Georgiana loved helping roll the peanut butter balls. This is a perfect activity for children who love to wash their hands! It’s nice to have a recipe where younger nieces can help make treats. I like using this cookie scoop to help keep the balls the same size. It’s easier to figure out the carb information for my diabetic son.

We really missed making these with our cousins but we are glad we could make them with Grandma. Everything turned out yummy! One year I forgot my candy thermometer and some things weren’t quite right. But really what is most important is gathering as family and spending time together. I would encourage you to get out those family recipes and start baking. Or if you need a recipe to borrow I can always share mine. I’m sure you will love these simple and yummy treats! And it will be fun to see what recipes end up being dear to my daughter and sons.