You know those moments when you’re at home, maybe the air is starting to get crisp with the change of seasons, and you feel like you need a little something—something comforting, but not too indulgent? Or maybe you’ve had a crazy busy day, or an interaction has left you feeling a bit drained, and you’re craving a bit of TLC in the form of a treat. We’ve all been there, right?
Honestly, I don’t keep trouble foods like sugary snacks around the house. They are way too challenging for me to be moderate with. Instead, I stock up on wholesome ingredients, so when those cravings hit, I can whip up something that satisfies my sweet tooth and nourishes me. That’s what these no-bake chocolate power balls are. They’re quick to make, loaded with good-for-you ingredients like monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, protein, and fiber, and they won’t send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride like store-bought sweets do.
And if you’re feeling fancy, you can even dip them in some melted chocolate for a truffle-style treat (I really like sugar free milk chocolate from Lily’s for this). They come together in minutes and store beautifully in the fridge or freezer, so you can always have a stash ready for when those cravings strike.
Comfort food doesn’t have to trip you up in your health endeavors when you can make it healthy. I hope you give these a try—and if you do, let me know how you like them. What your go-to homemade treat is when you’re steering clear of processed foods?
No-Bake Chocolate Power Balls
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, honey or liquid sweetener of choice
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut shreds
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cherries, golden berries, goji berries, etc.)
- Himalayan salt, optional sprinkle
Instructions
- Whisk together coconut oil, cacao powder and sweetener.
- Chop up remaining ingredients if desired, and stir into the coconut mixture. (You can run all these ingredients through a few pulses in the food processor to speed things up.)
- Roll into golf ball-sized balls and place on parchment paper.
- Chill until firm.
- Optional: Melt some chocolate of your choice and either drizzle over the balls or dip the balls into the chocolate to coat.
