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These Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are made with just a handful of ingredients that you might already have on hand, and remind me of the “buckeyes” my family makes around the holidays.

healthy chocolate peanut butter balls

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

The peanut butter balls I grew up eating were made with crisp rice cereal for an addictive crunchy center, but when I first made this recipe my family was eating grain-free, so we used crunchy peanut butter instead, for a similar crunch.

peanut butter balls with honey

You can use smooth peanut butter if you’d prefer that. These are delicious either way!

peanut butter balls in chocolate

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Honey replaces the powdered sugar called for in traditional recipes, and fiber-rich coconut flour helps to balance blood sugar for a healthier dessert option. If you’d prefer to use almond flour, be sure to check the notes below the recipe.

peanut butter balls with melted chocolate

I like to add a little coarse sea salt on top of these peanut butter balls to boost their flavor, but be sure to add it quickly when you dip the balls into the melted chocolate, as it will harden quickly. (The salt will only stick to melted chocolate.)

peanut butter chocolate balls with bite out

Dark Chocolate Coating

There is still a bit of refined sugar in the chocolate used for the coating, but if you use a dark chocolate (70% or darker) it’s pretty minimal. You can make a homemade chocolate coating, if you prefer, just keep in mind that a homemade chocolate will melt much faster at room temperature.

peanut butter chocolate balls with bite out

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

4.93 from 27 votes
These HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER BALLS are sweetened with honey instead of powdered sugar, and are quick & easy to make with just 5 ingredients!
prep15 mins Cool time:30 mins total45 mins
Servings:20

Ingredients
 
 

Peanut Butter Balls:

  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
  • 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegans)
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Coating:

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate (about 1 heaping cup of dark chocolate chips)
  • coarse sea salt , for topping (optional)

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey, coconut flour, and salt. Stir until a dough forms that is easy to handle and roll into balls. You can add another tablespoon of coconut flour to the mixture, if needed to get the right texture for rolling.
  • Scoop the dough by tablespoons and roll the dough between your hands to make balls. Place the balls on a pan lined with parchment paper, then put them in the freezer to set until firm, about 20 minutes.
  • When the peanut butter balls feel firm to the touch, melt the chocolate. (I use a double boiler to do this on my stove, but you can use the microwave if you prefer in 30 second intervals.)
  • Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer, and dip each one into the melted chocolate mixture, coating each one thoroughly. Top the chocolate with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, if desired. (Work quickly, as the chocolate will harden soon.) Return the chocolate-covered balls to the parchment paper. The chocolate should start to harden right away, but you can place them in the fridge or freezer to set completely.
  • Serve cold, from the fridge to keep the chocolate firm. These should keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, dessert, healthy, peanut butter
Per Serving: Calories: 112, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 9g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 3g

Recipe Notes:

  • You can make this recipe using almond butter or sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter, if you prefer.
  • If you don’t want to use coconut flour in the recipes, I’ve successfully used 3/4 cup blanched almond flour in its place.
  • For a vegan dessert, swap the honey for maple syrup instead.

Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite dessert?

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. Love these, just finished making them. Super easy. I used maple syrup (no honey) and almond flour (no coconut), I also used normal chocolate chips (didn’t have dark), I was too lazy to go to the store lol. But they taste sooooo good, will 100000% be making these again !!

  2. I made it but used regular flour instead because that’s all I had. I found that 2/3 cup worked well. This is an amazing recipe all in all! Will definitely keep this one around!

  3. My daughter and I made these when we had company coming for dinner and we couldn’t stop eating them! Only tweak was I did add some coconut oil to the chocolate because the chocolate chips I used melted really thick. These taste just like candy! So good.

  4. Do you think I can use a bar on bitter chocolate to make your recipe? Thank you so much. I adore your recipes.