Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
86
Published Nov 29, 2018, Updated Dec 15, 2021
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
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.
My husband LOVES peanut butter balls, but I rarely make them because of all the sugar. I made these this weekend and they are absolutely wonderful!!!! I 4x the recipe to have plenty. I had no problem with them being too sticky. We are cyclists and I took some to eat while riding and they were great. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Juanelle. Glad these peanut butter balls were a hit! Thanks so much for trying them out and coming back to leave a review :).
They were very messy trying to roll the dough. Any tips. I did add the additional tablespoon of oats.
Mmmm.. sounds like they were too wet and might of needed even more oats maybe?
I love the taste of this snack! Any suggestions for making the peanut butter balls firmer for rolling. When I scoop out the tablespoon to roll into a ball it will not hold form. Still love the taste.
So glad you love these, Cheryl! You could try placing the dough in the fridge to harden up a bit before rolling them into balls?
I would add a little almond flour or whey protein powder which is what i used.
Loving this recipe. Can I sub sun butter for the peanut butter? I’m making these for someone with a tree nut allergy?
Totally sun butter will work great as a sub for the peanut butter.
I noticed you responded to another commenter saying that Zahidi dates could be substituted if one didn’t have medjool. I was wondering what you think of the Noor date as a substitute? From what I’ve been reading about it it’s drier than the medjool, but do you think it would still work?
That should still work! Noor dates are smaller, so you’ll likely need to use more and also if the dates seem dry, just soak them in water for 10 minutes before to soften them up. Let me know how these turn out for you!!
It looks like I’m gonna have to do some major shopping 😃 so I can start busting out all these GF goodies for my husband! Carnelian ginger indeed!
Absolutely delicious 😋😋 I used almond butter as just my personal preference …. loved them, only problem I had was stopping at just one ðŸ¤
So glad you loved these treats!! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Delicious! Loved equally by me, a dessert-addict, and my husband, who prefers less sweet treats.
Woo!! So glad these pb balls were a hit, Sonia. Thanks for the review, I so appreciate it!
Hello does the recipe still work if you don’t use any oil?
Hey Myah – The coconut oil is used to help thin the chocolate out for dipping the pb balls. You can skip it if you prefer, but the chocolate might be thicker for dipping.
Another great sweet treat that will have a home in my freezer for the foreseeable future. YUMMY!! Thank you!
Yay!! So glad you loved these. Thanks for the review, Sherry. 🙂