Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

I guess that is where the ‘fat bomb’ term comes in- Packed with healthy fats, they keep hunger at bay and sugar cravings absent!

One of my all-time favorite candy bars has been Reese’s peanut butter cups. Instead of recreating the cups themselves (they are going in my second cookbook!), I’ve given them a chocolate peanut butter protein ball makeover!

I’ve got a fair few fat bomb recipes on here, but not a keto chocolate peanut butter fat bomb- it was time to rectify that! Not only are these chocolate peanut butter balls keto-friendly, they are also vegan and gluten-free, with a peanut-free and paleo option!

Is Chocolate Okay On a ketogenic diet?

It’s often hard to correlate low carb and sugar free with chocolate, but it can be done! The right kind of chocolate is acceptable on a ketogenic diet. As long as it is low carb and 100% sugar-free, you’ll be fine!

Is there a sugar-free chocolate available?

Absolutely!

For dark chocolate lovers, you can use a 100% bakers chocolate bar. It is extremely bitter, but when used in these peanut butter balls, they’d be perfect, as they would pair with the sweet and salty peanut butter filling.

Stevia-sweetened chocolate chips are also another option and are perfect for those with a sweet(er) tooth. These chocolate chips are also low carb and keto-friendly.

Is peanut butter good for a keto diet?

Peanut butter is a fantastic ingredient to use in keto recipes or eaten on its own. It’s low in carbs, high in healthy fats and contains a good dose of plant-based protein.

Ensure the peanut butter you use is all natural and not pre-sweetened, as those contain sugar and excess carbs.

To make these low carb chocolate peanut butter protein balls, you only need 4 ingredients-

• Chocolate
• Peanut Butter
• Coconut Flour
• A sticky sweetener of choice

As mentioned earlier, there are several keto-friendly and sugar free chocolate brands available.

If you don’t follow a strict keto diet, use paleo and vegan dairy free chocolate chips to coat them. They are semi-sweet, which work well with the creamy filling.

For my friends following a paleo diet, you can swap out the peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter. Both work in this recipe and are also still keto-friendly.

If you’d like this recipe to be allergen-friendly and nut-free, it’s super simple to do that- Just swap out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter, tahini or soy-nut butter!

The sticky sweetener is necessary to not only add sweetness but to also help the dough have a  soft and chewy texture. Unfortunately, using a granulated sweetener will not yield the same result. As such, I used a monk fruit sweetened maple syrup, which is 100% sugar free, keto-approved and low carb.

For those who don’t follow a ketogenic diet, you can use pure maple syrup or agave nectar as your sweetener. Both are 100% refined sugar free and work well. For non-strict vegan, honey can also be used.

Like the sticky sweetener, coconut flour also helps the peanut butter filling possess a chewy and dough-like texture. Do not swap coconut flour out for another flour, as it simply won’t work. You can try substituting it for almond flour, but you’ll need to double the amount used, along with adding some extra syrup or milk.

Ingredients

• ▢2 cups smooth peanut butter * See notes
• ▢3/4 cup coconut flour
• ▢1/2 cup sticky sweetener of choice ** See notes
• ▢2 cups sugar-free chocolate chips *** See notes

Instructions

• Line a large plate or tray with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients, except for chocolate chips, and mix until fully combined. If the batter is too thick and crumbly, add some liquid (water or milk) slowly until a thick, formable batter remains.
• Using your hands, form small balls and place on the lined plate or tray. Freeze for 10 minutes.
• While the peanut butter balls are firming up, melt your sugar-free chocolate chips. Remove the peanut butter protein balls from the freezer and using two forks, dip each ball in the melted chocolate until completely covered. Repeat until all the balls are covered in chocolate.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate coating has firmed up.