These treats are full of peanut buttery goodness and coated in luscious chocolate. With reduced refined sugar and no added oil compared to typical holiday treats, these peanut butter balls are actually loaded with nutritious ingredients, are gluten-free, and don't require any baking! Wonderful any time of year, especially the holidays.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Chill Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr40 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: vegan
Keyword: balls, chocolate, holiday, peanut butter
Servings: 24
Calories: 194.8kcal
Equipment
food processor
double boiler or a pan and a pot + cooktop
Ingredients
1cuppeanut butter
1cupmedjool datespitted, full cup, at least 12 dates
¾cupcoconut sugar
1cuppecansor walnuts
½cuprolled oats
½teaspoonvanilla
⅛teaspoonsaltany salt
For chocolate coating
10ouncessemi-sweet chocolate chipsnon-dairy/vegan, or equal amounts of 50-70% dark chocolate bars
Instructions
Toast the pecans/walnuts in a small pan over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing regularly, until they begin to darken and release their scent. Alternatively, toast in a toaster oven or regular oven for 5-10 minutes at 325 degrees (keep an eye to make sure they don't burn).
Add the toasted nuts, peanut butter, dates, coconut sugar, oats, vanilla, and salt (if using) to a food processor and mix until well combined.
With wet hands, roll the dough into balls, or use a meat baller, wetting it after every two balls. The meat baller will make balls about 1 ¼ inches, which are on the large size. You can make them by hand any size you'd like, but may need more chocolate to coat. Place the balls on a lined baking sheet that will fit in your fridge or freezer and chill for at least a half hour in the freezer or a couple hours in the fridge.
To melt the chocolate, use a double boiler or create one with a small pan of water with a stainless bowl or small pot over it. Make sure water remains in teh bottom pan as you work. Melt over medium heat, stirring until all are melted.
With a spoon or spoon-shaped spatula, dip the chilled peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate one at a time, working quickly to roll the ball to coat. Tap the spoon on the edge of the pot to remove excess chocolate, then place back on the baking sheet. Continue until all are dipped, melting more chocolate if needed.
Allow chocolate to harden, placing the baking sheet back in the fridge if necessary. Once hardened, place the chocolate-dipped balls into a sealed container in the fridge. Enjoy!