Crispy Peanut Butter Balls are inspired by the version made with butter and powdered sugar, but these have a fruit-sweetened center and a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe calls for all-natural peanut butter, which you need to stir well when you open the jar. (Use a hand mixer with one beater attached to make this go quickly!)
Paired with Medjool dates, ground flax seeds, and crispy rice cereal, these balls have a crispy texture with plenty of peanut butter flavor. They taste like a peanut butter cup!
Use semi-sweet chocolate chips for a classic Christmas cookie flavor, or chop up a dark chocolate bar to melt for a lower-sugar treat.
gluten-free Tip
Rice Krispies® brand cereal is not gluten-free because they contain malt flavoring. Look for a rice cereal that is labeled gluten-free if you need this to be a gluten-free recipe.
How to Make Crispy Peanut Butter Balls
Remove the pits from the dates before measuring them. For this recipe, you’ll need 1 cup of tightly packed pitted Medjool dates, or 8 ounces if you want to use a food scale.
These dates should be soft and squishy. They should split apart easily with your fingers so you can remove each pit. Transfer the pitted dates to the bowl of a 12-cup food processor fitted with an S-Blade.
Secure the lid and process until the dates break down. They may form a big ball as they blend, which is also okay!
Remove the lid and add 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. Also, add 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds and 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
Secure the lid and process until the peanut butter mixture looks thick and sticky.
Remove the lid and pour in 1 cup of crispy rice cereal. Process until the mixture looks crumbly. You’ll know it’s perfect when you can press it between your fingers and easily form a ball.
Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to scoop the mixture. Then, roll it between your hands to form round balls. Repeat the process until you’ve made about 18 to 20 balls.
Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
Transfer them to the fridge or freezer to chill while you melt the chocolate.
Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and set it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pan, ensuring it fits snugly over the opening of the pot.
Pour the chocolate chips into the bowl and let the heat from the steam below gently melt them. Stir until the chocolate looks smooth and melted.
Note: A double boiler like this works better than a microwave because the melted chocolate stays warm with the hot water underneath. This will make dipping the balls much easier!
Remove the balls from the refrigerator or freezer and dip each one in the melted chocolate with a fork or spoon. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then transfer them back to the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle them with coarse sea salt if you like a sweet and salty treat.
Once the chocolate has firmed up, these are ready to enjoy! Serve them at room temperature or store them in an airtight container in the fridge to serve chilled.
When chilled, they should last for 2 weeks but you may eat them all before then.
Looking for more healthy dessert recipes? Try Healthy Pumpkin Bars, Magical Date Brownies, or Almond Flour Cookies.
- 1 cup Medjool dates , pitted
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter , all-natural and drippy in texture
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal*
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- coarse sea salt (optional topping)
Place the pitted dates in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Secure the lid and process until broken down. (Mine usually forms a big, sticky ball.)
Add in the peanut butter (you want it drippy in consistency, so use one at room temperature, rather than from the fridge), the ground flax seeds, and salt. Process again until a crumbly, uniform dough is created. I usually watch the mixture turn into a big ball first, and then it breaks down into crumbles if you continue processing for a minute or so. Scrape down the sides if necessary.
Add in the crispy rice cereal and process briefly again, just until the cereal is broken down slightly. The mixture will look crumbly, but you should be able to pinch the dough with your fingers and roll it into a ball easily with the cereal inside.
Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll it between your hands to create 20 balls. Arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet, then place them in the freezer to firm up.
Arrange a heat-safe bowl over a small saucepan filled with an inch of water to create a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil, and place the chocolate chips in the bowl to melt. Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then turn off the heat.
Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer and coat each one with melted chocolate. Return each coated ball to the parchment-lined pan, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt on top if you like a sweet and salty treat.
Place the pan of chocolate-coated peanut butter balls in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate has hardened. Then they are ready to serve. They will have the softest texture when served at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.3mg
If you try these Crispy Peanut Butter Balls, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
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