Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

These healthy no bake chocolate peanut butter balls are something to rave about. Made with Medjool dates, oats, and natural peanut butter. If you love Reese peanut butter cups, then you will sure to love these. Great as a great bite sized snack when the craving hits, and an excellent addition to your holiday baking.

Natural Peanut Butter

Staring down into the jar of natural peanut butter; the first thing you will notice is a layer of peanut oil. This is because it does not contain any added stabilizers such as hydrogenated oil that traditional processed peanut butter has. The peanuts natural oils separate and rise to the top of the jar. This process is called syneresis. After giving the jar a stir; the peanut butter and oils will marry back together.

Medjool dates

Medjool dates come from the date palm tree and are often sold dried, making them soft and sticky. Their natural sugars are more concentrated as they dry which increases their sweetness. Although medjool dates are high in sugar (16 grams of sugar per date) its important to note that they are considered low on the glycemic scale. Their high fiber content (1.6 grams of fiber per date) balances out the sugar which prevents blood sugar spikes. This makes medjool dates perfect for these chocolate peanut butter balls. You get the added nutrition and sweetness of the dates without the negative blood sugar spikes.

The difference between natural peanut butter and traditional peanut butter.

The difference between natural peanut butter and traditional peanut butter is in the name. Natural peanut butter is just that… Natural. It doesn’t contain added sugars, or stabilizers. Nutrition information only slightly differentiate between the two.

	Natural Peanut Butter Per Tablespoon	Processed Peanut Butter Per Tablespoon
Calories	100	90
Fat	7g	8g
Fiber	1g	1g
Sugar	1g	1g
Protein	4g	3g

Subsitution suggestion

CHOCOLATE – I made these with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can make them with any chocolate you prefer or have on hand. Try using dark chocolate for the added antioxidants, or change it up completely by using white chocolate

PEANUT BUTTER – I highly suggest using natural peanut butter for this recipe, but in a pinch; traditional processed peanut butter will work just as well.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe notes

• If your medjool dates are on the smaller side; use 5 dates
• If your dough looks a little oily add a bit more oats 1/2 Tbsp at a time. You want the the dough to be slightly sticky, so the balls hold their shape but not sticky enough that your hands are covered in peanut butter.