The Peanut Butter Boy

Walnut Snowballs

Nick — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:07:59 +0000

Every child likes to eat snow. And who can blame them? The only reason, as adults, that we don’t eat snow is we don’t want the neighbors to see. Well that’s about to change. You’ve probably seen these cookies before since they assume several identities – Mexican Wedding Cookies, Princess Tea Cakes, Honey Sandballs – but no matter what you call them, these are perfect for wintertime. Many people will tell you that these cookies can’t be made without butter – they’re wrong. While the flavor or consistency may be slightly different, this heart-healthy version is just as delicious. However, while healthier, these cookies are still high in calories, so if you’re watching your intake, you may want to stick with real snow.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

3/4 cup canola oil
2 cup white whole-wheat flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)
1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, divided
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1t vanilla extract
3/4 cup very finely chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour oil into a medium bowl. Whisk white whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in another bowl. Whisk half the dry ingredients into the oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients until thoroughly combined (the mixture should resemble creamed butter and sugar). Stir in nuts, using your hands to knead the dough if necessary.

2. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place about 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are just set, being careful not to let the bottoms get too brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3. While the cookies are still warm, place the remaining powdered sugar in a small bowl and roll the cookies in it, then place back on the rack to continue cooling. When the cookies are completely cool, roll them in the sugar again. Makes about 36 cookies.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Cookie Servings per Batch 36
Amount Per Serving
Calories 90
Total Fat 6g
Total Carbohydrate 8.6g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 1.2g

Additional Info:

Growing up, they were my parents favorite Christmas cookie and my least favorite. Now, as an adult, I have come to love and appreciate these cookies and recognize them as a more appropriate (and tastier) way to eat snow. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

The PM Brownie

Nick — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:55:26 +0000

*Updated from the archive

Today is my last day working for PM Radars. During my time there, my boss (the Chief) made several announcements to the entire group to inform them that I was the Peanut Butter Boy. Needless to say, very few people knew my real name. In honor of my coworkers, counterparts and the program, I’ve developed “The PM Brownie” – the “P” stands for peanut butter, the “M” stands for mocha. They are so easy that Chief, even you could make them. If only you guys hadn’t moved to Maryland, you’d be eating them as you read this. Switching jobs is always tough – these brownies will help.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 box (~18oz) brownie mix, plus ingredients listed on box (I used Krusteaz Fat Free)
2T instant coffee granules
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2T sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to temperature listed on the brownie box. Add the brownie mix to a large bowl along with the instant coffee and any other ingredients listed on the package and mix well.

2. In a small bowl, add the peanut butter and sugar and mix together. Place this bowl in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until the peanut butter is very runny.

3. Coat a glass or metal 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour about 2/3 of the brownie batter into the dish and use a spatula to spread it out until it covers the bottom if the dish. Drizzle the peanut butter mixture on top in a swirl-like pattern. Pour the remainder of the brownie batter on top (don’t worry if you can still see the peanut butter) and use a clean knife to cut the through the batter in a swirl pattern. Only 8-10 cuts should be fine, if you do too many it will just mix the layers together and you’ll end up with a pretty lame swirl.

4. Bake for the time listed on the brownie box. Cut into 16 pieces. Best served right out of the refrigerator, they become extra chew and the edges maintain their crispy-chewy properties.

Peanut Butter Reviews – International Edition

Nick — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:44:53 +0000

Welcome to the 16th installment of the peanut butter reviews here at Peanut Butter Boy. This time I take an exclusive look at foreign (non-U.S.) peanut butter. Can the rest of the world live up to the U.S., the powerhouse producer of peanut butter? Frankly, no, they can’t. While we’re not #1 at everything, the United States can’t be beat in the world of peanut butter. But that doesn’t stop the rest of the world from trying, and there are some close contenders. Whether you’re from North America or abroad, what is your favorite peanut butter where you’re from?

Reviews:

Kelkin Crunchy (Ireland)

= 60%

I did a brief review of Kelkin Creamy upon my return from Ireland. This crunchy variety is nearly identical but with the addition of, you guessed it, chunks. The ingredient list is simple and enticing (peanuts, palm oil and sea salt), but the peanut butter has a major lack of flavor. It seems the peanuts were hardly roasted at all before mashing them into a jar. After trying this crunchy variety, I now question my positive feelings towards the creamy one. The texture is still very thick (in a good way) and the oil doesn’t separate, but the only way I can imagine enjoying this brand to begin with was due to my excitement of finding peanut butter in my homeland. The concept is good, but it needs some work. Uses: Oatmeal, Oatmeal and Oatmeal.

Calvé Crunchy (The Netherlands)

= 65%

If you compare the Calvé and Kelkin peanut butter in the above photo, you’ll notice a big difference in color. This is partly due to Calvé using unblanched (skin on) peanuts which adds an extra depth of flavor, similar to Trader Joe’s peanut butter. But it’s also because Calvé roasts their peanuts more before mashing them into a jar. Appearance alone, Calvé wins. However, the ingredients are a little strange: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Fat, Salt. What exactly is “Fat”? If you chalk that up to mistranslation and don’t ask any more questions about it, this peanut butter isn’t bad. It’s got a good flavor, nice thickness, and good amount of salt. As I recall, is was a little bit sweet too, but I’m not sure why. Maybe the “Fat”? Uses: PB&J Pork Roast and Spicy PB Marinade.

Ceres Organics Crunchy (New Zealand)

= 70%

Sail across the ocean to the home of the Kiwis and you’ll find Ceres Organics. This crunchy variety has only 2 ingredients: Peanuts and Sea Salt. Like many foreign brands of peanut butter, Ceres Organics doesn’t roast their peanuts enough, but it’s still better than most. The chunks are nice and the sea salt is a great addition, but there isn’t quite enough. Add a few dashes of extra sea salt and we’re in business! This is definitely one of the better foreign peanut butters I’ve tried. Uses: Peanut Butter Cereal, on a banana.

Eta Seriously Smooth (New Zealand)

= 35%

As far as New Zealand goes, Eta is on the opposite side of the spectrum from Ceres Organics. Ingredients here consist of: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Salt. Good start, but it only goes downhill from here. Once again, this peanut butter is about as UN-roasted as you can get, and the texture is a thick, glue-like paste. It has almost no flavor and certainly doesn’t make me proud to have the name Peanut Butter Boy. Uses: Trapping Vermin.

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Nick — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 13:37:43 +0000

Honey roasted peanuts are one of those simple creations that are simply divine – which is the exact reason that I never buy them. They come in large containers which somehow seem so much smaller when you sit down with them. If you’re ever in a Whole Foods that has a peanut grinder with honey roasted peanuts in it, fill the nearest 10 gallon pail and proceed to checkout because it is some of the best peanut butter ever. Otherwise, instead of trekking all the way there, just follow this embarrassingly simple “recipe”.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 jar (16oz) crunchy natural peanut butter w/ salt
2 Tbsp honey
1-3 tsp sugar, to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix.

Additional Info:

The addition of honey helps prevent the oil from separating but also ends in a very thick peanut butter. I recommend using a very runny peanut butter (like Trader Joe’s Natural Creamy) if you don’t want it so thick. To give you an idea, I made this peak 2 days before the picture was taken:

Peanut Butter Cup Chicken Mole

Nick — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:21:36 +0000

Have you ever had mole (molé) sauce? It’s a rich, dark-colored sauce native to Mexico and one of my favorite dishes to order at any Mexican restaurant. One reason mole is so popular is that, while there are many variations, most of them contain chocolate. Traditional mole varies from town to town in Mexico, containing anywhere from 10 to 50 ingredients. Some recipes call for crushed peanuts, which is all the info I needed to combine my love for Mexican cuisine with peanut butter and create one of the best moles I’ve tasted. I didn’t copy Rachel Ray to create this dish – in fact, I think I came up with the idea first! You may be wondering how difficult it is to make, but I’ve developed methods to make it in a crockpot (slow cooker) or on the stove, with very little effort required. I highly recommend you make this not just because it’s phenomenal, but also because how often do you get to eat chocolate and peanut butter for dinner?

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
4 cloves garlic, minced
2T toasted sesame seeds
1T chili powder
1t ground cumin
1t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground coriander
1/8t ground nutmeg
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 cup peanut butter
1T maple syrup
1T brown sugar
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast (4-6 large breasts)

Instructions:

Crockpot / Slow-Cooker: Place all ingredients except for the chicken in a slow cooker. Stir sauce until mixed, taste, and adjust seasonings to taste. Add chicken and stir to cover the chicken. Place lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. If desired, remove chicken, and puree the sauce using an immersion blender or food processor. Serve the chicken breasts and drench in sauce.

Stove top: Preheat a large pot on medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and add the chicken. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. Spray the pot with cooking spray and cook the onions until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If you like a smooth creamy sauce, you can puree the sauce with an immersion blender or a regular blender. Add chicken to the sauce and cook, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until chicken is very tender and falls apart.

Additional Info:

There are thousands of varieties of mole sauce in Mexico and you’ll never have the same one twice. Along the same lines, you can customize this dish to taste, some like it spicy, others like it sweet. Experiment with the chili powder, chipotle peppers and sugar to adjust to your tastes.

Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter

Nick — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:20:32 +0000

See that mostly empty jar? It’s difficult to keep full. If you weren’t a peanut butter addict to begin with, you will be now. This is my favorite flavored peanut butter, and it has a myriad of uses. Do yourself a favor and go find the following ingredients in your cabinet…

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 jar (16oz) creamy natural peanut butter w/ salt
1/2 cup currants or raisins
2 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Using a slightly larger jar, mix all the ingredients together. Alternatively, use an empty peanut butter jar and put half of the peanut butter into it and make 2 smaller batches. Using the second method will make it easier to stir from the bottom each time if the oil separates.

Salt & Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds

Nick — Tue, 26 May 2026 13:12:46 +0000

Only 2 days until Halloween, have you carved your pumpkin yet? I picked, carved and tossed my pumpkin already. It only lasted about 1 week before it started to smell when you got within 10 feet. I had an awesome pumpkin too: brilliant white with no blemishes. I carved out a smooth and simple design that had my roommate thinking it was fake from far away – I must be a darn good carver. But before you throw out the insides to your pumpkin try this recipe out for size. It’s a unique seasoning combination that is surprisingly good.

I leave the seeds in the shell because it’s a pain to remove them all but also because the seeds are a good source of nutrition. Elise at Simply Recipes just posted a recipe for Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and suggests boiling the seeds in salt water for about 10 minutes before baking. I haven’t tried this method but it sounds like a good way to salt the seeds and further soften the shells. If you’re keeping them in the shell, make sure you use a smaller cooking pumpkin – the larger pumpkins have larger seeds with much tougher shells.

There are a couple of new features here at the Peanut Butter Boy. You can now easily contact me by clicking “Contact” on the menu above. Or for those of you curious about the man behind the jar, check out the new “About” section on the menu bar above.

Boo! Here was my pumpkin. Do you know what the carving is supposed to be?

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

pumpkin seeds
salt
cinnamon
cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray. Remove all the pulp from the seeds and rinse with water. Dry them and spread out on the baking sheet and spray the top with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon.

2. Bake for 5 minutes, remove the tray, stir the seeds and sprinkle with extra cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until seeds begin to brown and get toasted. Stir the seeds every 10 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. If you store them before they cool they will become chewy and difficult to eat.

Peanut Butter ____ Salad

Nick — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:59:49 +0000

As of Saturday, November 1st it is officially (yet unofficially) National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month. While this holidays origins are unclear, one thing is certain, it’s time for a peanut butter feast. Coincidentally, as of November 1st, it is also the Peanut Butter Boy’s 1 year anniversary! After one full year, I’m still going strong and my love for peanut butter has not diminished one bit. To celebrate, I’m sending out a call for your favorite peanut butter recipes. I want everyone to post and send me their favorite peanut butter recipe by November 30th (even if it’s an old recipe you’ve posted). At the end of the month, I’ll round up the entries and construct a (hopefully) large list of recipes! See the submission form beneath the following recipe.

To start this joyous month off, here’s a unique recipe for your lip-licking pleasure. I devised this recipe after a friend divulged that his dad puts peanut butter in egg salad sandwiches. I asked him if he thought it would work well with tuna or chicken – he said no, but that didn’t stop me. I use sour cream instead of mayonnaise because I can’t stand mayo and add beans for some nice texture and nutrition. I’ve been making this for several weeks and it’s wonderful with tuna and chicken, egg (according to my friend) and I imagine tofu would be great too. Choose your favorite and fill in the blank or choose nothing and double the beans. I give you the peanut butter “blank” salad:

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

6oz can (~3/4 cup) tuna, chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, tofu or omit
3/4 cup boiled or canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained (double if you omit the above)
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream, as needed
2T creamy peanut butter
2-3T honey mustard (optional)
1/2t cumin
1/2t chili powder
1/2t paprika
1/8t cayenne or chipotle chile pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Makes about 3 servings.

2. Spread between two slices of bread with a slice of cheese for a great sandwich, or forgo the second slice of bread and toast in a toaster oven for a peanut butter “blank” salad melt. Alternatively for a nice meal and presentation, serve on a bed of lettuce with celery and carrot sticks for dipping.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillows

Nick — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:44:09 +0000

This idea, one of the most ingenious and simplest of ideas, was not my own. At least not entirely. In recent years, it’s been a habit of mine to keep a barrel of peanut butter filled pretzels in the back seat of my car – you never know when you’re going to get hungry. And now that I’ve joined the real world and began working, I keep a barrel in my desk drawer. I introduced a coworker to them and got him addicted. Shortly after, he shows up with a bag full of homemade chocolate covered goodies that look suspiciously like my pretzels. They were. And boy are they good. I snazzied them up a little by adding a pinch of sea salt but raw sugar would be great too. These pillow-shaped treats beg you to dive headfirst into the barrel and take a nap!

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

80 peanut butter filled pretzels
16 oz dark chocolate
sea salt or raw sugar, to garnish

Directions:

1. Break the chocolate into bite-sized pieces or smaller and place in a microwave safe bowl. Set the microwave to medium heat (about 50% power) for 5 minutes. Check the chocolate after 2 minutes and stir then return to the microwave, checking/stirring every 30 seconds. When only a few small chunks remain, simply stir until all chocolate has melted. If you want a thicker chocolate coating, you want the liquid chocolate to be thick and can put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to help achieve this. If you want a thinner chocolate coating, keep heating the chocolate in the microwave to keep it thin.

2. Line a baking sheet(s) with wax paper. Drop the peanut butter filled pretzels into the bowl of chocolate, 2 or 3 at a time. Use a fork to turn the pretzels and ensure they get coated. Remove them with the fork and place on the baking sheet. After about 20-30 pretzels, stop to sprinkle the sea salt or sugar on top before the chocolate begins to harden. Repeat for the remaining pretzels. If the chocolate gets too thick at any point, reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds.

3. Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Get out a large sealable container and cut a few pieces of wax paper to the shape of the container to make layers for the treats to sit on. Once the chocolate has set, remove the treats from the freezer, place in the container and store in the refrigerator.

Raspberry Brownie

Nick — Thu, 14 May 2026 12:38:54 +0000

PBB Update: Peanut Butter Boy has a huge 50% off sale for peanut butter with near best by dates! Check out the Super Sale Combo Packs!

Happy 4th of July! For as long as I can remember, raspberry brownie has been a part of my life. It began at our annual end-of-the-school-year pool parties with pizza and raspberry brownie. Kids would come from all over the neighborhood just for a bite of the raspberry brownie. The raspberry brownie tradition continues to this day, and arriving guests’ first question is still: where’s the brownie? But before you dismiss this dessert as a simple combination of brownie and sherbet, let me say that something magical happens to this dessert in the freezer, the brownie basically turns to fudge. Through experimentation over the years, we have determined that any brownie mix will work, but the lower fat mixes seem to work best.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 package No Pudge brownie mix (or other low/non-fat brownie mix)
2/3 cup (~6oz) nonfat vanilla yogurt (or whatever ingredients the brownie mix calls for)
1 quart raspberry sherbet (not “sorbet”)
sprinkles or other decoration (optional)

Instructions:

1. If using No Pudge, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together No Pudge brownie mix and yogurt and bake for 30 minutes. You don’t want to over-bake and under-baking is somewhat preferred, so a few minutes less is fine.

If using any other brownie mix, bake according to instructions on the box.

2. Let the brownie cool completely, about 3-4 hours. Remove sherbet from the freezer and let it soften for a few minutes. Take a large serving spoon and scoop out layers of sherbet about 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick, or about the same thickness as the brownie, and place on top of the brownie. Repeat until most of the brownie is covered, and use the back of the spoon to smooth it all out. You should use close to a full quart of sherbet. It will start coming together when the sherbet softens to a specific point where it becomes very creamy and easily molds together.

3. Top with sprinkles or other decoration, cover with tinfoil and freeze for 4-6 hours, but preferably at least 1 day. Using a spatula, cut and serve the frozen brownie. Enjoy immediately. Stores well for at least 4 months.

Additional Info:

I cut a corner piece out to take a picture, you’ll notice the layer of fudge forming between the sherbet and the brownie. Don’t be fooled though, the entire brownie is like fudge, not just that thin layer. Now enjoy our family’s tradition for over 20 years!