Creamy Peanut Butter Truffles

I LOVE chocolate. I really love chocolate when it's accompanied with something else really yummy, like Peanut Butter (or fruit, pretzels, cookie dough, etc, etc). These truffles are SO easy to make and are the perfect size chocolate fix if you need ONE everyday. I say ONE because I feel like I need at least ONE treat everyday. With a small treat like this truffle, I feel like I can satisfy my chocolate craving and not be eating too much sugar (is that possible? Yes, probably so). These truffles are a great treat to gift for a birthday, holiday or just a simple "thank you" or "welcome to the neighborhood". I hope you LOVE them as much as I do.

Creamy Peanut Butter Truffles
By: Lulu

1 cup peanut butter (I use Adam's All Natural, chunky style)
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 crushed graham cracker sheets
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1 cup chocolate chips (I used extra dark)
1 Tbsp coconut oil or shortening
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Sprinkles, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, crushed oreos, etc for garnishing the truffles

Scoop peanut butter into medium size mixing bowl and let it soften (this is if you use the Adam's - since it is refrigerated), add cream cheese and mix together with beaters. Add powdered sugar, salt and graham crackers. Mix until blended together. Form into balls, press firmly together, your mixture will be a bit crumbly looking, but it will hold together nice once you press it into a ball.

Note: I don't particularly like the "regular" peanut butter, meaning brands like Skippy, store brands etc, but would guess it would turn out about the same, if you think it's too sticky to form into balls, then add some more crushed graham crackers and maybe a little more powdered sugar.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl, only do about 30 seconds at a time and stir in between each 30 seconds. It will take about a minute and a half to melt it. I prefer using a 2 cup measuring cup because it's tall and it's easier to dip the peanut butter balls in a bowl that isn't really shallow. Add coconut oil or shortening towards the end of the melting and mix until smooth. (FYI: Adding the coconut oil/shortening gives the chocolate the desired consistency for dipping - smooth and slippery.)

Dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate with a fork in the 2 cup measuring cup you melted it in. Roll it around til it's covered in chocolatey goodness and then let the chocolate drip off the fork, give it a few pats, and place it on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. At this point you'll want to sprinkle it with whatever garnishment you've chosen.

When the truffles are all dipped and on your baking sheet stick in the fridge until set, about 30 minutes. Store truffles in an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Note: I like using chunky style PB because it adds a little more to each bite!