Today's recipe is perfect for when you're craving a sweet and filling snack, but you're trying not to reach for those mini M&Ms. These chocolate magic energy balls are bite-sized, easy to take on-the-go, delicious, and surprisingly healthy!
These protein balls, stored in the refrigerator or freezer, keep for a while and are simple to pop in your mouth when you're running out the door. The yummy chocolate flavor tastes like dessert but these bites are actually full of protein-rich ingredients like chia seeds and natural sweeteners like honey. (I grind the chocolate chips for a while, so the bites take on more of a consistent chocolate flavor rather than having chocolate chunks.)
So what's the magic, you ask? Well, other than being crazy addictive, these balls actually have instant espresso in them. (A little caffeine to boost your energy, hehe!) You won't taste a strong espresso flavor, although you can add in some more powder if that's what you're seeking. The espresso really brings out the chocolate for a rich, delicious flavor.
Warning: you will definitely be tempted to eat as many of these as you can. Lots of taste-testing will be involved in the cooking process.
These bites last for quite a while, especially if you make a few batches and stick them in your freezer. I would say that they should probably last up to a couple of months in your freezer (going off of how long frozen cookie dough lasts) but they never seem to stick around that long in our house!
They're no-bake, so you can just pop them in your mouth. Lately, however, I've been having this crazy idea that this mixture might be good before balling sprinkled over oatmeal! I haven't tried it yet, as my family has already gobbled up all the energy bites I made, but feel free to experiment and let me know what you think.
A few notes:
I do use peanut butter in this recipe, but you can substitute with any kind of nut butter.
When you have all of your ingredients in the food processor, pulse until completely combined. You can choose to either have chocolate chips in larger pieces or blend them completely in. I prefer mine completely blended to give the energy balls a consistent chocolate flavor, but both will work well.
This recipe can be pretty easily transitioned to keto. Use unsweetened chocolate chips and instead of using honey, mix in 3/4 cup coconut oil rather than 1/4 cup. If you're not doing oats, you'll need to play around with your texture, probably adding a bit more coconut flakes. Make a few adjustments and I think these could be a great keto snack!
If you don't have it on hand, you can omit the espresso powder. The protein balls won't taste quite as magical, but they'll still be a delicious snack.
Well, I'll get off my soapbox now and give you this addictive recipe. Enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? I'd love to know what you thought of it! Let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram at @Pen2PaperBlog or on Facebook as Pen2Paper. Ciao, Zoe.
If you liked this, you'll love: