Peanut Butter Energy Balls // Two Healthy Kitchens

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup natural, crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons honey (note: original recipe called for 1/3 cup)
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
  • 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Add chocolate chips to mixture and stir again, just until combined.
  4. Using your hands, press FIRMLY to form one-inch balls.
  5. Place in air-tight container and refrigerate as needed (or freeze per directions in notes below).

Notes

Honey: This recipe was originally published calling for 1/3 cup honey. But, through all my years making these, I started to decrease the honey by even as much as about 1/3 – and nobody seems to notice. Energy Balls made with less honey will not be quite as wet and sticky, but I still have no trouble forming them.

Shaping the Energy Balls: Be sure that you are pressing these balls together FIRMLY (not lightly rolling the balls like cookie dough). If you're still having trouble, it could be that you're using a type of natural peanut butter that's stiffer/firmer than what we usually use (some brands are very thick) or that your coconut is quite dried out (I normally use Baker's brand, which I've noticed is moister than some others). Also, you'll have a lot more difficulty forming balls if you try to substitute regular-sized chocolate chips, instead of the minis we specify. Regardless, to correct for this issue, I recommend slightly decreasing some of the dry ingredients (such as the oats, flax, or wheat germ).

Storage and freezable make-ahead tips: If your peanut butter is one of the natural brands that needs to be refrigerated, then so do your Snack Bites. Actually, regardless of the peanut butter you use, these will keep much better in the refrigerator. They can even be frozen in air-tight bags for up to 3 months. When frozen, these energy balls will be thawed in about 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
 YIELD: 18 servings SERVING SIZE: 2 Energy Balls
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 126TOTAL FAT: 7gSATURATED FAT: 2gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 4gCHOLESTEROL: 0mgSODIUM: 41mgCARBOHYDRATES: 14gFIBER: 3gSUGAR: 7gPROTEIN: 3g

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