Simple seven-ingredient OatmealEnergyBalls have oats, coconut, and chunks of chocolate! These delicious pop-able bites taste like healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!
OATS AND COCONUT: Add the oats and coconut to a large (12-cup) food processor fitted with the blade. Pulse for 30 seconds to a minute or until fairly ground up.
ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Add in the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips. Pulse mixture again until ingredients are finely chopped and well incorporated. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add a touch more peanut butter and/or honey. If it is too wet, add a bit more oats and re-pulse.
ROLL: Use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon or cookie scoop to portion out the balls and then tightly roll into balls. Once rolled, place in the fridge to firm up and then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or freeze (see next step).
FREEZE: To freeze, space the energy balls on a lined plate or tray in the freezer. Once firm (about 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight bag or freezer container. They'll last up to 6 months in the freezer. Tothaw: Simply pull one out and let it stand for about 15-30 minutes. You could also pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. When these bites are completely frozen, they are very hard to eat, but don't feel like you need to completely thaw them before eating -- we enjoy them still a bit frozen. They're delicious that way!
Notes
Note 1: Depending on the peanut butter used you may want to adjust how much salt you use. If you're using peanut butter with no salt added, you may want to add a touch more salt to the mixture. On the flip side if you're using salted peanut butter or are sensitive to salt, cut back on it.Note 2: We love having the bigger chunks of chocolate throughout these energy balls. You can use miniature chocolate chips, though, if you'd rather have a more even chocolate dispersion (fewer large chunks of chocolate). We prefer dark chocolate to keep these bites more nutritious (dark chocolate has antioxidants and other healthful properties), but any type of chocolate works. For a sweeter treat, use milk chocolate.