I have fond memories of making peanut butter balls with my mom and sister every holiday season. The women in my family are all big peanut butter and chocolate fans, so it seems like a natural holiday dessert to splurge on. In fact, I know when they see this post they’ll be running to the kitchen to make this version! You can’t beat how easy peanut butter balls are to throw together during those hectic last-minute preparations.
This year, I came up with a lighter version of my childhood favourite. Rather than using 2 cups of powdered sugar and plenty of butter like the old recipe, I turned to a few lighter ingredients to do the same job.
This version contains much less sweetener than classic recipes, but I promise you won’t even notice the difference, especially once the chocolate coating is in place!
The secret to achieving a similar dough (without all the powdered sugar) is a little trick I picked up from making homemade nut butter in my food processor. I noticed when I added too much maple syrup into the machine, it would cause the nut butter to seize up (i.e., get really thick). After that point, no matter how much I processed the nut butter, it never returned back to it’s creamy, drippy state. A similar thing happens when you add water to melted chocolate.
For this recipe, I used this knowledge to my advantage by stirring the peanut butter and maple syrup vigorously, until the mixture “seized” and thickened up. Well, it worked like a charm! All I had to do after that was add a couple tablespoons of coconut flour for additional thickening powers. Coconut flour is quite dense and drying, so just a little bit did the trick. No powdered sugar necessary. Yes!
Tip: If you are new to coconut flour and don’t want to buy a whole bag, try buying a small amount from a bulk food bin. I’m pretty sure Bulk Barn carries coconut flour.
At first, when you stir in the maple syrup, it will look quite runny and you’ll think there’s no way it’s going to thicken up, but it does. Just keep on stirring! It took me probably 30 seconds of stirring and letting it sit a couple minutes helps it firm up too (the coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture). The timing will depend on how thick (or thin) your brand of peanut butter is (I only recommend using 100% all-natural peanut butter with nothing else added). It’s quite possible you might need a touch more (or less) coconut flour than what I used. I’m not sure if other sweeteners will work the same way that maple syrup does, so I can’t vouch for the results if you swap out the maple syrup.
Once it thickened up, I stirred in some sea salt to enhance the flavours and rice crisp cereal for a crunchy texture. Oh my….simply irresistible!!
Watch them disappear almost as quickly as they were made.
Peanut Better Balls
Yield
16-20 balls
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Chill time
25
Total time
These peanut butter balls forgo the powdered sugar and butter, and instead use a few lighter ingredients using only a fraction of the sweetener compared to traditional recipes. You'll wonder how you ever lived without this recipe around the holidays! It's quick to throw together and makes about 16-20 balls that will fill a platter for a holiday party. For mess-free finger food, place the balls in mini cupcake liners.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 100% natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- 3.5-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste (see note)
- 1-3 tablespoons coconut flour, only if needed
- fine grain sea salt, to taste (I used 1/4 teaspoon)
- 6 tablespoons gluten-free rice crisp cereal
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Directions
- Stir the jar of peanut butter well before using. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter and maple syrup vigorously, for 30-60 seconds, until it thickens up. It will go from runny to thick during this time.
- Stir in the coconut flour until combined (if your PB is dry, you might be able to skip this step or only use half). We're looking for a texture that isn't too sticky, but not too dry either. Let it sit for a couple minutes to firm up as the coconut flour will continue to absorb moisture with time. Add a touch more coconut flour if necessary. Or if it's too dry, add a touch more syrup.
- Add salt to taste and stir in the rice crisp cereal.
- Shape into small balls (I made about 17).
- In a small pot, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil and heat over low heat, stirring frequently. Once half the chips have melted, remove from heat and stir until completely smooth.
- With a fork, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Tap off excess chocolate on the side of the pot and place the ball on a plate or cutting board lined with parchment. Repeat for the rest. Save any leftover melted chocolate for later.
- Place balls in the freezer for around 6-8 minutes until mostly firm.
- Dip a fork into the leftover melted chocolate and drizzle it on top of the balls to create a "sophisticated" design like the baking diva you are.
- Freeze the balls for another 10-15 minutes, until the chocolate is completely set. If you can wait that long, you win life.
Tip:
1) I'm not sure if other liquid sweeteners will work in this recipe (and firm up the peanut butter the same way as maple syrup does), therefore I can't recommend any. A reader did tell me that agave nectar worked for her though! 2) I recommend only using 100% natural peanut butter for this recipe. You just want to see roasted peanuts on the label (and maybe salt, if it’s salted). The no-stir kinds made with oil and sugar might not work the same way. The PB I used was very drippy. If your PB seems dry, you probably won't need to use all of the coconut flour.
i love these, thanks for the lighter version :)
do you mix the cereal in with the coconut flour?
Yum! I’m a sucker for chocolate-coated anything, so these are right up my alley!
Hi Angela,
Thanks for the awesome recipe! When do you add the cereal? I don’t see it mentioned in the directions.
It’s at the end of step 2 (easy to miss!) Hope this helps. :)
Peanut butter balls has always been a holiday tradition with my mom and sister too! I was just trying to think of a way I could make a healthier vegan version so this is perfect! Thanks :)
Yum! I know it’s not vegan, but honey does the same thing as maple syrup so that would work too for those who are not strictly vegan!
These look great! Do you have any idea how well they hold up outside the fridge? Not for a long time, just a few hours for a party on the counter.
Ours were on the counter for an hour before they were all gone ;) Not sure after that. It will depend on the room temperature. If the room is hot, I wouldn’t keep them out long or I would try placing them on a plate that’s been in the freezer.
We found that if you kept them out for a couple of hours, they did get a little soft, but not unbearably so. I personally like the chocolate kind of crunchy around the soft PB, so we just keep them in a container in the fridge.
Oh – my mom makes peanut butter balls every year! I was diagnosed with Celiac a few years back and it just never felt like Christmas without them. Last year was the first year she attempted GF PB balls – I ate them all…in a week and a half…and it was a double batch. I wish I were kidding. Part of me hopes that she made them this year too but my waistline hopes she didn’t!
These are right up my alley! Can’t wait to give these a try this holiday season – I know they will be a winner with my family!
I CANNOT BELIEVE you just posted this! I made pb balls yesterday but was needing a better recipe – just googled it this morning as I want to make a whole other batch! You are a mind reader! I also made your pumpkin gingerbread bars yesterday – loved them! I made a plain glaze but used sucanat to make the powdered sugar so it was a brown glaze which looked so perfect on this type of bar!
what would I do without your blog?????
Thank you AGAIN! :-)
I’ve never heard of peanut butter balls before, but these certainly do look delicious! Looks like they have an amazing texture, and of course the pb-chocolate combo can’t be beat. Can’t wait to try!
Oh em gee! Peanut butter is my favourite food on the planet, but I just got a bunch of almond butter…would I have to adjust the recipe in any way if I wanted to use almond butter instead?
I have just discovered your blog and it is giving me so much hope! I have tried to make the transition to a plant-based diet a few times and was unsuccessful because I felt like I had to give up all of my traditional favorites. You are giving me so much hope! Thank you for writing.
I’m so happy to hear that Kate! I found a slow and steady approach (rather than all at once) worked for me. Good luck with your transition!
I think I just fell more in love with your website. . . if that is even possible! My favorite food combo ever, in healthier form!! YES!
Question. . . Do you have to use the crispy rice cereal in the mix? I think I would prefer to make it without. . .
Thanks for such wonderful recipes that grace my table quite often!
It’s totally optional if you don’t want to use it! I just love the crunch it provides.
Thanks for your lovely comments about the blog!
I like these better than your traditional peanut butter balls. The coconut is such a lovely addition!
Wow these look so great! I’m not the biggest peanut butter fan, long story, but I like it in little hits here and there. This seems like a great way to eat a ball (or two!) and give the rest away as a gift. Plus, coconut flour? YUM!
I’m dying by how delicious these look!! I’m going to have to try these for sure!!
I once mixed some honey into peanut butter, and it thickened up significantly in the jar. So that would probably work here too. Though depending on your opinion of honey’s vegan-ness, that might make it not vegan.
Please check the ingredients of the natural peanut butter when you choose one! Many of them have palm oil as an ingredient. The burning of Sumatra and Borneo’s rain forest for palm oil plantations is one of the leading causes of extinction rates in that area of the world
Hi Angela! This may be a goofy question, but did you mix by hand or with a mixer? Thanks!
Not goofy at all – I did it by hand.
Ah! I am so excited! My husband is from Ohio and thus has always had Buckeyes. I know they aren’t very healthy and I’ve been wanting to try something a little more healthy. These look perfect! Thanks for sharing!