How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Even though peanut butter may taste delicious, it's usually not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of healthy food. While it is packed with essential proteins, it also often contains sugars and saturated fat. Luckily, there are ways to make tasty peanut butter snack bites that are also healthy for you. By utilizing ingredients like oats and quinoa, you can create delicious peanut butter balls that also have good nutritional value.

EditIngredients

EditNo-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

• 1 3/4 cups (157.5 g) of oats
• 3/4 cup (190 g) of peanut butter
• 1/3 cup (113.3 g) of honey
• 1/3 cup (60 g) of chocolate chips

Makes 24 balls

EditQuinoa Peanut Butter Balls

• 1/2 cup (85 g) of quinoa
• 1 cup (236.6 ml) of water
• 1/4 cup (65 g) of natural peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons (9.8 ml) of maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.3 g) of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.4 ml) of blackstrap molasses
• Pinch of sea salt

Makes 20 balls

EditSteps

EditMaking No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

1. Stir all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine the 1 3/4 (157.5 g) cup of oats, 3/4 cup (190 g) of peanut butter, 1/3 cup (113.3 g) of honey, and 1/3 cup (60 g) of chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix all of the ingredients together until they are well incorporated and sticky.^[1]
   
   • If the dough is hard to work with, use your hands to mix it together.
2. Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Putting your dough in the freezer will cause it to firm up and will make it less sticky. This will make it easier to work with later.
   
3. Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. While your dough is hardening in the freezer, use the time to line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. This will prevent the cold peanut butter balls from sticking to the surface of your cookie sheet.^[2]
   
4. Form small, one inch (2.54 cm) balls of the dough. Remove the bowl from the freezer and scoop tablespoon sized portion of dough into your hand. Roll the dough into a ball about one inch in diameter, then place it on the cookie sheet with parchment paper.^[3]
   
5. Let the balls chill for an hour in the refrigerator before serving. Chilling the peanut butter bites in the refrigerator will cause them to re-harden. Keep them refrigerated until you're ready to serve them. The balls will stay good in the freezer for up to a week.^[4]
   
   • If you are going to store your peanut butter bites for later, you should put them in a ziplock bag or storage container.^[5]

EditMaking Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls

1. Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Pour both your 1/2 cup (85 g) quinoa and 1 cup (236.6 ml) water into a saucepan and set the heat to high. Continue to cook the quinoa on this heat until it starts to boil which should take around 7 minutes.^[6]
   
2. Reduce the heat to low and let the quinoa simmer. After the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the quinoa cook and absorb the water. Continue to cook the quinoa in the water for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Fold the quinoa with a spatula or spoon once it's cooked.
   
3. Combine peanut butter, molasses, and syrup in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine the main ingredients for your peanut butter balls. Use a spoon to mix all of the ingredients together until they are well incorporated.
   
4. Mix the quinoa, cinnamon, and sea salt in the bowl. Let the quinoa cool off before adding it to your bowl. Continue to mix everything together until there is an equal distribution of quinoa throughout the mixture.
   
5. Roll the mixture into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls. Use a spoon to scoop out a small portion of your quinoa and peanut butter mixture. Roll the dough between the palms of your hands until they form a ball. Place the finished balls on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper.
   
6. Place balls into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Place the tray of peanut butter balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, or until they become firm. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for up to a month. ^[7]
   
   • To add extra flavor to your peanut butter balls, you can melt down dark chocolate and use it as a dipping sauce.

EditEnjoying Healthy PB Balls

1. Eat one ball per serving. Each ball that you make represents a serving size, so it's important to keep this in mind when eating them. The oats in the balls are packed with carbs and fiber as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant plant compounds.^[8] Peanut butter contains healthy fats and is good for your cardiovascular health. While they are healthy, you should still refrain from eating more than one ball at a time.^[9]
   
   • Two tablespoons (10 grams) of peanut butter contain around 188 calories, 8 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat.^[10]
2. Get creative with your ingredients. You can combine additional ingredients into your peanut butter balls including pretzels, nuts, coconut, or raisins. Think about the kind of healthy foods that you enjoy and consider adding them to your balls for a unique snack.^[11]
   
   • Consider how new ingredients will change the texture. For example, pretzels or nuts will add a crunch to your peanut butter balls.
   • Adding more ingredients will also affect the nutritional value for your balls.
3. Eat them before a workout. If you need that extra boost but don't have a lot of time, eating these peanut butter balls are the perfect snack to eat on the go. You can either take the balls with you to eat before your workout or eat them on the way to the gym. Eating these balls 30 minutes to an hour after your workout will also rebuild your glycogen levels which help build and repair your muscle.^[12]
   

EditThings You'll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Spoon or whisk
• Plastic wrap
• Cooking sheet or tray
• Ziplock bag or plastic storage container

EditSources and Citations

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