Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
No-bake keto snack with a nutty, crumbly base and rich dark chocolate coating. Uses coconut flour, crunchy peanuts, and natural peanut butter for texture. Sweetened with Truvia but adaptable. Quick chill, then roll and dip. Refrigerate to set. A balance of fat, protein, and fiber to keep things steady.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
1 min
Total:
42 min
Servings:
24 servings
#keto
#no bake
#snack
#peanut butter
#low carb
#chocolate
#easy dessert
Sometimes you want a sticky, nutty ball of energy that hits that keto spot without the fuss of baking or weird artificial sweeteners. These chocolate peanut butter bites are a revelation after several fudge-like failures I’ve had — you want just enough coconut flour to bind the oils without drying the mixture out. The crunch of smashed roasted peanuts cuts through the dense peanut butter, and the rich dark chocolate melts slowly on your tongue. Sweetened with Truvia here but swap in erythritol or monk fruit powder if you prefer. Chill time is key — skip it and your balls fall apart or get greasy. Taking advantage of texture and temperature teaches you when things are just right, and trust me, those little imperfections when chilling melt away with the first bite.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour + up to 3/4 cup if needed for thickness
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (no added sugar, oily surface visible)
- 3/4 cup smashed roasted peanuts for crunch
- 2/3 packet Truvia sweetener (approx 9g total, divided)
- 4 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)
- 1 1/2 tsp coconut oil
About the ingredients
Natural peanut butter is critical — oily, no sugar added. It holds the structure differently than creamy commercial brands with stabilizers. Coconut flour soaks up moisture while adding fiber but goes from too runny to chalky fast; add slowly by tablespoons to get sticky but not paste. Roasted smashed peanuts add texture contrast but work okay swapped with chopped almonds or pecans if allergic. Dark chocolate quality impacts final melt and gloss; avoid overly sweet chocolate or complicated bars with fillers. Coconut oil softens the chocolate and helps with smooth coating. Truvia is the sweetener here; if swapping with erythritol, reduce slightly as it’s less sweet, and add in powdered form for better melting behavior.
Method
- Scatter parchment over a 9x13 baking sheet; no sticking later.
- Mix coconut flour, nutty peanut butter, crushed peanuts, and 2/3 Truvia in a bowl. Watch for sticky texture — too wet gets sloppy; too dry means add 2 tablespoons coconut flour at a time.
- Chill the mixture about 35 minutes. Not solid — firm enough to hold shape but pliable; cold temps help bind oils.
- Melt dark chocolate and coconut oil with remaining 1/3 packet Truvia in microwave short bursts, stirring between. Aim for glossy, barely warm but pourable chocolate. Avoid overheating — grainy mess happens quick.
- Roll the peanut butter mix into bite-size balls with lightly oiled hands or a damp spoon to keep stickiness down.
- Drop balls into chocolate with a spoon, coat completely, then pluck out with fork or toothpick. Place back on parchment. The chocolate snaps at the edges when set.
- Refrigerate at least 45 minutes till firm. Leave longer for harder snap but chewy center.
- Store in fridge in airtight container. Let sit 5 minutes outside fridge before eating, melts beautifully in mouth.
Cooking tips
The initial mixing is where you feel the batter texture — sticky, thick, not dry or runny. Cold chill time makes rolling manageable — warmer mixture clings to hands and doesn’t hold shape. When melting chocolate, do short microwave bursts, stir after each, watch for sheen and smoothness. Overheated chocolate seizes—clumpy, grainy—not recoverable. Rolling balls with damp hands or a spoon dipped in warm water avoids over-sticky mess. Dipping is messy and slow but use fork or toothpick to knock excess chocolate off; creates a thinner shell. Chill time varies based on fridge temp but watch for solid, not just cold. Serve straight from fridge or a few minutes out to soften chocolate without melting completely. Leftovers endure fridge well but avoid freezer — texture suffers.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Look closely at batter texture after mixing coconut flour and peanut butter. Sticky and thick holds shape but not paste. Too dry add tablespoons coconut flour slowly. Too wet it won't roll right. Chill temp affects firmness but not totally solid. Cold helps bind fats but keep pliable for rolling. Damp spoon or lightly oiled hands control stickiness. No rush here; feel surface texture not just appearance.
- 💡 Melting dark chocolate in microwave, short 15 second bursts max. Stir between every burst. Chocolate should look glossy sheen barely warm. Overheat? Grainy, seizing right there. If it does seize, better start over. Mix in coconut oil last; it thins chocolate and helps coat better. Adding sweetener powder helps smooth but do gently. Watch closely; no black or dull spots means still good. Use high cocoa content 70%+ for thicker coating and bitter balance.
- 💡 Chill time critical. Skip it and balls will crumble or get greasy fast. 35-45 minutes mostly. Not hard solid but stiff enough to hold shape when rolled. Cold temperature keeps oils bound. If too warm, balls stick to hands and flop. Once dipped in chocolate, set another 45 minutes or longer till shell snaps but center still chewy. Texture difference is striking between fridge time intervals so patience wins.
- 💡 Substitutions: peanut butter must be natural oily type no sugar or stabilizers. Commercial creamy brands ruin texture. Roasted peanuts add crunch, swap with chopped almonds or pecans if allergy or preference. Coconut flour absorbs moisture adds fiber, but use sparingly. More flour = dry dust. If no Truvia, erythritol powder or monk fruit fine. Adjust sweetness since not 1:1, erythritol less sweet. Powder form melts better than granulated for coating.
- 💡 Rolling and dipping messy process. Roll balls bite size with careful pressure don’t pack too tight. Dip with spoon, coat completely, then chill quick or chocolate runs off. Use fork or toothpick to lift out, shake off excess chocolate, place on parchment. If chocolate shell thickens too fast dip every ball quicker or thin with more coconut oil. Last step cooling affects snap quality—too cold snap hard brittle. Warmer fridge softer but softer chew. Adjust to taste and fridge conditions.
Common questions
How do I know if mixture is sticky enough?
Check by feel not sight. Sticky means holds shape but not gluey. Too dry fall apart. Too wet sticks to hands. Add coconut flour tablespoon at a time if needed. Chill helps firm up.
Can I swap sweeteners?
Yes. Truvia here but erythritol or monk fruit powder okay. Powder better for melting chocolate shell. Erythritol less sweet, so add more or adjust taste accordingly. Granulated not great, clumps in coating.
My chocolate seizes melting, what now?
Stop heating immediately. Stir then add tiny coconut oil to loosen. If grainy mess stays, better start fresh chocolate. Microwave in short bursts prevents this. Stir a lot. Avoid overheating; it kills shine and smoothness.
How to store finished balls?
Airtight container fridge best. Lasts days, maybe week but quality drops. Can leave out 5 mins before serving to soften chocolate surface. Freezing possible but texture gets crumbly, chocolate dulls, avoid unless desperate.
