Dark chocolate, peanut butter, and sea salt?? Yes, please! I am a huge salty-sweet fan and these treats don’t disappoint when it comes to the combination of salty & sweet. These healthy dark chocolate peanut butter balls are a cleaned up version of the popular peanut butter ball and required only 6 simple ingredients. They are easy to make, don’t require baking, and are the absolute perfect treat for your next holiday gathering!
What Keeps These Clean?
Peanut butter – look for peanut butter with just peanuts, or peanuts and salt, as the only ingredient(s). Skip the ones with added oils and sugars. My favorite is Smucker’s Organic Peanut butter. It’s smooth, creamy, and once initially stirred, the natural oil won’t separate from the butter.
Almond flour – a lot of variations of chocolate peanut butter balls call for regular butter and powdered sugar to help make the “dough” for the center of the balls. Not these guys – I use straight up almond flour to thicken the dough.
Coconut sugar –Sugar is still sugar, but if you’re going to use a sweetener it is best to stick to the natural/unrefined kinds and coconut sugar is one of those. Coconut sugar is minimally processed and does retain some nutrients though processing. I wouldn’t look to coconut sugar as a source of nutrients, but it’s a great choice for a natural sweetener!
The chocolate – I like these with dark chocolate, but you could easily use semi-sweet chocolate as well. Either way, look for chocolate that is dairy-free and has minimal ingredients. The cleanest version of packaged chocolate chips should have no more than cane sugar, chocolate liquor/chocolate/cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Brands that are Fair Trade certified and/or organic are even better! Nestle Toll House makes a great option and so does Equal Exchange Chocolates.
How Do I Make Them?
Making these healthy dark chocolate peanut butter balls is a breeze!
Start by mixing the peanut butter, almond flour, and coconut sugar in a small bowl until completed mixed. Place dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or freezer for 10, to help set the dough and make it easier for rolling into balls.
Next, roll them in melted dark chocolate. To make extra fancy, I place the rolled balls back in the fridge for about 10 minutes to set, and then I take additional chocolate and drizzle over the top and then sprinkle with coarse sea salt. If you don’t want to be extra fancy/short on time, you can simply sprinkle with the coarse sea salt right after you roll them in the dark chocolate.
This recipe makes 12 balls. Store in the refrigerator until ready to devour! Will stay for about a week in the fridge, but I guarantee one batch won’t last that long!
Looking for more no-bake treats? I got your back! Check out these other tasty treats!
If you make these healthy dark chocolate peanut butter balls, please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, give me a star rating and/or share a photo on Instagram and mention @CleanPlateMama!
Healthy Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
These healthy dark chocolate peanut butter balls are made from real, wholesome ingredients. The perfect combination of peanut butter, almond flour, and coconut sugar all rolled in dark chocolate and sea salt.
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Dough
- 1/2 heaping cup natural peanut butter see notes
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar also known as coconut palm sugar
For the Coating
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. coarse sea salt
Instructions
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In a small mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter, almond flour, and coconut sugar. This should form an almost cookie dough like consistency once fully mixed.
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In order to make it easier to roll into balls and keep their form when rolling in chocolate, place dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15.
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Right before dough is done chilling, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl. Melt for 1 minute and stir. Continue melting for 30 seconds to one minute or until chocolate is melted. Stir to ensure coconut oil is mixed in with melted chocolate.
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Take dough out of fridge or freezer. Roll about 1 tbsp. of dough into individual balls. Using a spoon roll balls into bowl of melted chocolate.
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Place chocolate covered balls on a pan or in a dish lined with parchment paper. Once all balls have been coated in chocolate, place in fridge for 10 minutes to let the chocolate settle.
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Removed balls from fridge and drizzle with additional chocolate and add coarse sea salt sprinkles right away so the salt sticks to chocolate.
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Store in refrigerator and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- I recommend natural peanut butter with only peanuts or peanuts and salt as the ingredients. Peanut butter with added oils and/or sugars may result in a different consistency of dough, plus they aren’t as clean 🙂
- Dark chocolate is my favorite, but you could use semi-sweet chocolate too.
- I like to use a little less than 1 tbsp. of dough per ball – that way I get a better chocolate to peanut butter ratio, which will then make about 14-16 balls. If using a full tbsp. of dough for each ball you’ll get 12 balls.
