Emma came home from trick-or-treating last Halloween with a pillowcase full of candy, and by mid-November we still had a mountain of Butterfingers sitting in the pantry. "Mom, can we do something with these?" he asked, holding up three crushed candy bars. That's when I remembered these Butterfinger Balls my grandmother used to make every Christmas. After thirteen years of making candy and truffles professionally, I've learned that the best homemade treats are usually the simplest ones. Just crushed Butterfinger bars, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and chocolate coating. No baking required, no fancy equipment, just mix, roll, dip, and you've got candy that tastes like you bought it from an expensive chocolate shop.
Why I Love This Butterfinger Balls
These Butterfinger balls hit every craving for something sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy all at once. When you bite through that smooth chocolate shell, you get that satisfying crack, then your teeth hit the peanut butter mixture with all those little bits of Butterfinger candy throughout. It's crunchy but not hard, creamy but not mushy, sweet but with that salty peanut butter balance. The Butterfinger pieces stay crispy even after being mixed with the peanut butter, which is kind of magical. Emma loves them because they're bite-sized and he can pop a whole one in his mouth. I love that they satisfy that candy craving without being as sweet as straight-up candy bars.
I love it because there's literally no cooking involved. Mix everything in one bowl with your hands, roll into balls, dip in melted chocolate, done. I can make these while helping Emma with homework, talking on the phone, or half-watching TV. The hardest part is waiting for the chocolate to harden so you can eat them, but even that only takes 20 minutes in the fridge. When I made these for my office holiday party last year, they disappeared faster than anything else on the dessert table. Three coworkers asked if I'd make extra batches they could buy for gifts.
Jump to:
- Why I Love This Butterfinger Balls
- Ingredients You'll Need For Butterfinger Balls
- How To Make Butterfinger Balls Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Butterfinger Balls
- Storing Your Butterfinger Balls
- Equipment For Butterfinger Balls
- Butterfinger Balls Variations
- The Secret Recipe My Cousin Will Never Share
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- No-Bake Candy Perfection!
- Related
- Pairing
- Butterfinger Balls
Ingredients You'll Need For Butterfinger Balls
For the Butterfinger Mixture:
- 8-10 fun-size Butterfinger candy bars
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Coating:
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon shortening or coconut oil
- Or use chocolate melting wafers/almond bark
Optional Add-ins:
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Rice Krispies
- Mini chocolate chips
- White chocolate for drizzling
For Topping:
- Sprinkles
- Extra crushed Butterfinger pieces
- Sea salt flakes
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Butterfinger Balls Step By Step
Crush and Mix:
- Unwrap Butterfinger bars and place in zip-top bag
- Crush with rolling pin until small pieces
- Mix crushed candy, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl
- Use your hands to mix everything together
- Mixture should hold together when squeezed
Roll the Balls:
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture
- Roll between your palms into smooth balls
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet
- Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up
- Makes about 30-35 balls
Dip in Chocolate:
- Refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate hardens
- Melt chocolate chips with shortening in microwave
- Stir until completely smooth
- Drop one ball into chocolate, roll to coat
- Use fork to lift out, tap off excess chocolate
- Place back on parchment paper
- Top with crushed Butterfinger pieces before chocolate sets
Smart Swaps for Butterfinger Balls
Healthier Options:
- Almond butter → Peanut butter (different flavor, works great)
- Coconut sugar → Powdered sugar (less refined)
- Dark chocolate → Milk chocolate (less sugar, more intense)
- Less powdered sugar → Full amount (use 1.5 cups instead)
Dietary Needs:
- Sunflower seed butter → Peanut butter (nut-free)
- Dairy-free chocolate chips → Regular chocolate (vegan)
- Sugar-free Butterfingers → Regular (for diabetics)
- Gluten-free version → Already gluten-free!
Different Candy Bars:
- Snickers bars → Butterfingers (nuttier, chewier)
- Reese's cups → Butterfingers (more peanut butter forward)
- Heath bars → Butterfingers (toffee flavor instead)
- Baby Ruth → Butterfingers (chewier texture)
Texture Add-ins:
- Graham crackers → Nothing extra (more crumbly texture)
- Rice Krispies → Nothing extra (extra crunch)
- Crushed pretzels → Nothing extra (salty twist)
- Chopped peanuts → Nothing extra (double peanut)
Storing Your Butterfinger Balls
Refrigerator (2-3 weeks):
- Store in airtight container
- Layer with parchment paper between
- Keep away from strong-smelling foods
- Best texture when cold
- Chocolate stays firm and snappy
Freezer (2-3 months):
- Freeze in single layer first
- Then transfer to freezer bag
- Remove air before sealing
- Thaw 10 minutes before eating
- Texture stays perfect
Room Temperature (3-4 days):
- Only if your house is cool
- Store in airtight container
- Not recommended in summer
- Chocolate can get soft and messy
- Peanut butter can separate
Gift Packaging:
- Best within 2 weeks
- Wait until chocolate is completely set
- Use candy boxes or tins
- Add tissue paper between layers
- Include "keep refrigerated" note
Equipment For Butterfinger Balls
- Large mixing bowl
- Zip-top bag (for crushing candy)
- Rolling pin (for crushing)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Fork (for dipping)
- Microwave-safe bowl (for melting chocolate)
Butterfinger Balls Variations
White Chocolate Version:
- Dip in white chocolate instead of milk chocolate
- Drizzle with milk chocolate on top
- Looks fancier and more elegant
- Great for weddings or showers
- Still tastes like Butterfingers
Peanut Butter Cup Style:
- Add mini Reese's pieces to the mixture
- Double the peanut butter
- Roll in chopped peanuts before chocolate
- Peanut butter lovers go crazy
- Emma's personal favorite variation
Holiday Butterfinger Balls:
- Use red and green chocolate melts for Christmas
- Add peppermint extract to mixture
- Top with crushed candy canes
- Festive and seasonal
- Makes great gifts
Protein Ball Version:
- Use protein powder instead of some powdered sugar
- Add chia seeds or flax
- Skip the chocolate coating
- Still sweet but healthier
- Post-workout treat that tastes like dessert
The Secret Recipe My Cousin Will Never Share
My cousin makes Butterfinger balls for every family gathering, and for years hers tasted different than mine. Better, if I'm being honest. Creamier, smoother, with this extra richness I couldn't figure out. I'd ask her what she did differently, and she'd just smile and say "I follow the same recipe as everyone else!" Every Christmas, Easter, and birthday party, there they were — her perfect Butterfinger balls that disappeared first while mine sat there looking sad. It drove me crazy. I tried adding more peanut butter, less powdered sugar, different chocolate brands. Nothing matched hers.
Last summer at a family reunion, I cornered her in the kitchen while she was making a batch. "I'm watching you this time," I said. "I need to know what you're doing." She laughed and finally gave in. Her secret? She adds a quarter cup of marshmallow fluff to the peanut butter mixture. That's it. The marshmallow fluff makes them creamier and gives them this slight chewiness that regular Butterfinger balls don't have. She said she discovered it by accident when she grabbed the wrong jar from her pantry one year and has been making them that way ever since. I tried it in my next batch and Emma immediately noticed.
Top Tip
- Back making these at least 20 times, here's what makes the difference between okay and amazing. First, don't crush your Butterfingers into powder. You want small pieces, not dust. I pulse mine in the food processor for about 5-10 seconds just enough to break them up but still leave texture. If you turn them to powder, you lose that crunchy element that makes these special. Also, mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and crushed candy really well.
- Use your hands, not a spoon. It seems messy but your hands warm the peanut butter slightly and help everything come together better. I tried using a spoon once and couldn't get it mixed properly. Hands work better.Chill the balls before dipping them in chocolate. This step is not optional. Room temperature balls fall apart when you try to dip them and make a huge mess.
- Cold, firm balls hold together and are way easier to coat. I refrigerate mine for at least 30 minutes, sometimes an hour if I have time. Also, add shortening or coconut oil to your melting chocolate. This thins it out and makes it easier to work with. Pure chocolate is too thick and clumpy. The oil smooths it out and creates a thinner, prettier coating. I use about 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of chocolate chips.
FAQ
Why was Butterfinger discontinued?
Butterfinger wasn't discontinued! There was a recipe change back in 2019 when Ferrero bought the brand from Nestle, and people freaked out thinking they were gone forever. The new version has a different chocolate coating and slightly different texture, which made longtime fans pretty upset. Some stores stopped carrying them for a while during the transition, which added to the confusion.
What is the crunchy stuff in Butterfingers?
That crunchy, flaky center is made from ground roasted peanuts mixed with sugar that's been cooked and then layered into thin sheets. It's kind of like peanut brittle that's been rolled super thin and layered over and over. The texture comes from how they process it it's crispy and flaky instead of hard and solid. When you crush Butterfingers for these balls, all those little flakes stay crunchy even after being mixed with peanut butter.
What are Butterfinger balls?
Butterfinger balls are a no-bake candy made by crushing Butterfinger candy bars and mixing them with peanut butter and powdered sugar, rolling the mixture into balls, and dipping them in chocolate. They're like homemade truffles but easier and way more addictive. My grandmother used to make them for every holiday, and now they're my go-to recipe when I need something sweet that looks impressive but takes minimal effort.
Are they discontinuing Butterfingers?
No, Butterfingers are not being discontinued. This rumor pops up every few years and sends people into a panic, but it's never true. They're one of the most popular candy bars in America and make way too much money to ever disappear. The recipe change in 2019 made people worried, and sometimes stores run out or stop carrying certain sizes, but the brand itself is going strong. I buy them in bulk at Costco for making these balls, and they're always fully stocked.
No-Bake Candy Perfection!
Now you have all the tricks to make perfect Butterfinger balls from crushing the candy just right to using that toothpick dipping method. These Butterfinger balls recipe proves that the best homemade treats don't need an oven or fancy equipment. Just crushed candy bars, peanut butter, chocolate coating, and a little patience create something that tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
Craving more easy sweet treats? Try our Delicious German Chocolate Cookies Recipe for those coconut-pecan topped favorites. Need something crunchy and addictive? Our Delicious Churro Saltine Toffee Recipe delivers cinnamon-sugar magic in 20 minutes. Looking for an impressive dessert? Our Best Marble Cake Recipe in 3 Steps creates stunning swirls with minimal work!
Share your Butterfinger ball creations! We love seeing your chocolate-covered goodies and creative variations!
Rate this Butterfinger Balls and join our candy-making community!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Butterfinger Balls
Butterfinger Balls
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl (For combining ingredients)
- 1 Zip-top bag (For crushing candy)
- 1 Rolling Pin (For crushing candy)
- 1 Baking sheet (To place balls on)
- As needed Parchment paper (To prevent sticking)
- 1 Fork (For dipping in chocolate)
- 1 Microwave-safe bowl (For melting chocolate)
Ingredients
Butterfinger Mixture
- 8–10 fun-size Butterfinger candy bars - Crushed into small pieces
- 1 cup Creamy peanut butter - Can substitute almond butter
- 2 cups Powdered sugar - Adjust sweetness if desired
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract - Optional but recommended
- pinch Salt - Balances sweetness
- ¼ cup Marshmallow fluff - Optional adds creaminess (secret ingredient)
Chocolate Coating
- 2 cups Milk chocolate chips - Or melting wafers/almond bark
- 1 tablespoon Shortening or coconut oil - Helps thin chocolate for dipping
Optional Add-ins/Toppings
- As desired Graham cracker crumbs Rice Krispies, Mini chocolate chips - Add for texture
- As desired Sprinkles Crushed Butterfinger pieces, Sea salt flakes - For topping
Instructions
- Unwrap Butterfinger bars, place in a zip-top bag, and crush with a rolling pin until small pieces remain (not powder).
- In a large bowl, combine crushed candy, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and optional marshmallow fluff. Mix with hands until it holds together.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture and roll into smooth balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate balls for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt chocolate with shortening, dip balls to coat, sprinkle toppings, and refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate hardens.
Leave a Reply