Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
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Published Nov 29, 2018, Updated Dec 15, 2021
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Make healthy peanut butter balls with only 5 simple ingredients: peanut butter, oats, dates, chocolate and coconut oil! No powdered sugar or butter needed. These peanut butter balls are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan!
We’re all about the holidays this weekend. Wrapping, baking, family and celebrating… that pretty much sums it up. We’ve been jamming out to Christmas tunes, traveling to visit family and overall just enjoying the season. Yesterday I spent the afternoon baking Christmas cookies with my nanny, sister and her girls. It’s a tradition and it’s something I look forward to every year. We baked and then took the goodies to our family Christmas party at my aunt and uncle’s house, which is always a good time.
Since I was young my favorite holiday treats have always been nanny’s crescent cookies, no-bake cookies and peanut butter balls. Can you tell I love all things peanut butter and chocolate?
After a little recipe testing I finally perfected a recipe for healthy chocolate peanut butter balls. They taste just like the ones I loved growing up, only they’re vegan, gluten-free, sweetened with dates and require only five ingredients! They’re basically just like my peanut butter eggs, but in the shape of a ball instead of an egg.
Everyone who has tried them has loved them, including Isaac who said, “Oh yum! They’re like peanut butter cups.”
So if you’re in need of another holiday treat recipe, these balls should be added to your list. And if you’re taking them to a party, I highly recommend doubling the recipe because they’ll go fast, trust me! 🙂
Healthy Peanut Butter Ball Ingredients
- medjool dates
- old fashioned oats
- natural roasted and salted peanut butter
- chocolate chips – I used Enjoy Life chocolate chunks.
- coconut oil
How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
Process – Start by adding the dates to your food processor and pulse until the dates are finely chopped and form a sticky ball. Add in the oats and pulse a few more times until combined. Add in the peanut butter and process until combined.
Form balls – Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the peanut butter balls in the freezer until firm – this takes several hours so I usually just let them sit overnight!
Coat with chocolate – After your peanut butter balls are firm, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second increments until the chocolate is melted. Dip the chilled balls into the melted chocolate and roll until covered. Place back on the parchment paper and then back in the freezer until chocolate is set.
How to Store Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Store the chocolate covered peanut butter balls in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to enjoy! They should last about a week in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats to Try
- 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
- Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Peanut Butter Cup Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
Healthier Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 4-5 medjool dates, I used Natural Delights
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free old fashioned oats
- ½ cup natural roasted and salted peanut butter
- ½ cup chocolate chips, I used Enjoy Life chocolate chunks
- ½ Tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Add dates to food processor or mini chopper and pulse until dates are finely chopped and form a sticky ball. Add in oats and pulse a few more times until combined. Add peanut butter and process until combined. If the mixture seems too oily, add another Tablespoon of oats.
- Scoop out peanut butter dough by the tablespoon and roll into balls. Place balls on parchment paper. Place peanut butter balls in the freezer until firm (several hours or overnight). This step makes it easier to dip the balls into the chocolate.
- A couple minutes before taking the balls out of the freezer, combine your chocolate chips with the coconut oil and melt the mixture. Use a double boiler or microwave in 30 second increments (stirring after every 30 seconds) until the chocolate is melted.
- Dip chilled balls into the melted chocolate and roll until covered. Place back on parchment paper. Once all balls are covered, place back in freezer until hard. Store in freezer or fridge until ready to enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
excellent post thank you for sharing
Doubled or tripled the dates and oats and used homemade peanut butter with some almond flour mixed in. There were so delicious that we ate them all before we could even coat them with chocolate! There is a place in town that makes something similar and I was addicted…but now I can store them myself in the freezer! Thanks!
Yess! Love hearing that you are enjoying this recipe, Phaid. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it.